The Masters of the Art
by WhiteIckyThing
Summary: An challenge agreement between two families goes a bit awry... *Update* Ryoga's thoughts on Ranma, and a little light sparring...
1. Default Chapter

Well now, another fic, another sleepless week full of ideas which I will never get down on paper. And therefore I will have to use my creativity to supply stuff instead. I hope itÂ´s up to the job at hand. Anyway, my second fic is on itÂ´s way, but for now, a little teaser will do. Enjoy!  
  
  
  
Slightly disturbed productions present  
  
A Ranma 1/2 FanFiction by WhiteIckyThing(Patent pending)  
  
The Masters of the Art  
  
Trailer  
  
Disclaimer: I have made no money and will not make money from this piece of fiction, and itÂ´s not really mine either, only the storyline itself can be called my property. So buzz off, lawyers!  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Somewhere, beyond the moon and west of the sun, Toltiir lay napping. He was rather satisfied, for a cat. After all, there had been all those Bet entries to entertain him. It would probably be a week before he was bored again.  
  
Suddenly his ears pricked up. Something was coming towards the well and the crowd that was already there. There was never a moments peace since the craze began. This thing, however, seemed a bit different. For one thing, it seemed to be heading straight for the well, unheeding of who might be in its way. And for another, it wasnÂ´t anything the currently cat-shaped Toltiir had seen before. The cat noticed a hand poking out of a sleeve of a long, brown robe (since when was it wearing a robe?) and incredibly he let out a sigh, as if he had been expecting tentacles. He then noticed that the hand seemed to stray from what would be the normal three dimensions, going through various planes of existence before stabilizing again, and Toltiir decided that even if it WAS a hand, there was definetly the option of tentacles at a moments notice.  
  
"The Bet is over, bub. You can go away now." The cat didnÂ´t really mean it: After all, it would always need further amusement and besides, it was fun to watch various entities squabble over who made the best timeline.  
  
"I am here for my own purposes, and there are already quite a lot of people here." This voice was... well, not excactly creepy. It was a blend of every sound ever heard and many never heard, such as a rockÂ´s sigh or an asteroid colliding with a strawberry. Try overwhelming.  
  
A minor demon raised itÂ´s head to look at the stranger, and walked up to it, a classic small time bar bully.  
  
"Who you callinÂ´ People, little thing?" it said, flexing it muscles in a threatening manner and grinning stupidly down at the newcomer.  
  
Without missing a beat, the stranger raised a gloved hand (strange, where did the glove come from?) and disintegrated the poor thing.  
  
The stranger then nodded apologetically at itÂ´s feline host and walked to the well, suddenly clear of bystanders. He looked into it and witnessed RanmaÂ´s beating of some psycho which he recognized as Akane, with a smug Kodachi standing nearby. The sadistic Ranma finished his task, before taking Kodachi in a passionate embrace.  
  
Everyone backed away when the strange man (or is it female?) made a slight noise of disgust at what he saw, and cleared the image with a sweep of his hand(Where did the glove go?). A small thing of indeterminate gender/age/occupation/species held out a small pebble at him, but then withdrew its hand when the stranger simply stared at it.  
  
The young (Old?) man glanced at MimirÂ´s well, and the assorted audience looked as time flew past, to before Jusenkyo, before the Neko-ken, before RanmaÂ´s birth, and then stopped.  
  
There were two men, laughing happily at having sealed their master in a cave to rot, slapping each others backs with merriment. The stranger looked at the image and suddenly ripples appeared on the surface.  
  
"WhereÂ´s the change?" asked Toltiir, marveling at the deft use of the well.  
  
"A single stray thought in the mind of the one known as Genma," came the answer.  
  
EveryoneÂ´s attention was now fixed on the well, anxiety and excitement apparent on many of the faces.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Genma Saotome was happy. He had beaten the master, freeing him and his friend from his slavery and now he was free to do what he wanted. Suddenly, a stray thought came into his mind, and with true Saotome Foot-in-mouth acuity, he immediately voiced it.  
  
"Now I am the true master of the Anything-Goes school of Martial Arts! Finally, I am free from the clutches of that old man!"  
  
His friend stopped laughing, then frowned a bit.  
  
"Surely you mean WE are the masters, Saotome?"  
  
Genma paused slightly, thinking of this. Surely there could be only one master?  
  
"What do you mean only one master, Saotome?"  
  
"Did I say that out loud? Then again, why not! Why must there be two when the master himself was always alone in his endeavors, perfecting his Art?"  
  
"What is this treachery, Saotome? Do you not remember our agreements, our promises? What is there to be gained in such a thing?"  
  
"Perhaps, Tendo, this is what martial arts are truly about. Never rely on others, especially when they try to pull you down with them!"  
  
Soun took a fighting stance. "Say it isnÂ´t so, Saotome. Must our friendship end like this? Think, man! YouÂ´ve been under the masters influence for too long!"  
  
Soun showed not a single sign of tears, for this was a determined young man, and was ready to prove it.  
  
Genma took up a stance of his own and looked threateningly at his now former friend.  
  
"We shall see who of us is the greater."  
  
And the two men fought. At first this was not a problem, for neither could really believe what was happening, but soon they became more serious, using crippling attacks and deadly blows, the two of them ever watchful for the otherÂ´s attack.  
  
They fought on, Punch meeting punch, kick for kick, block for block, attack for attack, for what seemed like hours, neither giving any quarter to the one they formerly trusted with their lives. night fell, and the moon rose, and still they fought on, not caring for time nor place, completely absorbed in the fight. The only thing that mattered was victory, the only goal, survival. There would be no mercy, no remorse and no regret. The fighters battled on for hours, neither weary nor any less cabable, in a battle that shook the very earth around them, devastating the surrounding trees and rocks completely.  
  
Soon, as the sun rose above the horizon, the two great masters, for that is what they truly were, stopped. they looked at each other, standing in a relaxed position with fierce glares in their eyes, and then Soun spoke.  
  
"The true test of a master of the Art lies not in skill, but in how well you teach others that skill."  
  
"Unfortunately I agree, Tendo. What do you suggest?"  
  
"Let us go our separate ways, and train one of our children as our heirs. When they come of age, we shall pit them against each other in a challenge. The better student will win, showing us and everyone else as well who is the true master of the Anything-goes."  
  
Genma considered the offer. It would be the perfect method to properly motivate a trainee, and any son of his would have to be good at the Art.  
  
"Very well, Tendo. I agree. When our students are ready we will meet again, and then you shall see who is worthy."  
  
Then the two nodded in agreement and set off in separate directions, never looking back.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Toltiir looked into the well, then at the stranger, then back again. Then the cat looked up once more.  
  
"Just where are you going with this?"  
  
"Perhaps you will find out. If the audience shows interest, then I will continue."  
  
Then he looked at the audience with a small, welcoming smile and gestured towards them, the incident earlier seemingly forgotten.  
  
"Of course, it is up to these gentlemen, women and things that are present. What do you say?"  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Well, you heard the man. It is up to the reviews I get wether I continue this or not. Feel free to say whatever you wish and please donÂ´t hesitate. Only by expressing our thoughts do we truly become free ^_^ . 


	2. The test of a master

Looks like my teaser was well received, 18 Reviews in twelve hours! How cool is that! I expected at most five! Also, thank you all for the compliments for my grammar and writing style, English is my second language and it means a lot to me to hear this sort of thing. Anyway, the audience has spoken, and thus, the tale of two masters shall continue. So it has been said, so it shall be done.  
  
Slightly disturbed productions present  
  
A Ranma 1/2 FanFiction by WhiteIckyThing(Patent pending)  
  
The Masters of the Art  
  
Part 1: The test of a master  
  
Disclaimer: I have made no money and will not make money from this piece of fiction, and its not really mine either, only the storyline that I make up can be called my property. So buzz off, lawyers!  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
The audience was receptive today, for many of the beings present made it clear that this was an interesting way to go, many voices offering helpful suggestions while others stood back and waited for more in order too pass judgement. There were even a couple of beings taking bets on the outcome, and it looked like quite a succesful venture too.  
  
The strange unnamed man smiled, then looked down at the cat beside him.  
  
"It looks as if youll see more of this after all, Toltiir. I hope that you will find this... satisfying."  
  
The cat merely grinned a little, knowing it would take quite a lot to impress him. This one was off to a good start nevertheless.  
  
The stranger, which now looked decidedly female for some strange reason, grinned back and looked down. A hush spread over the audience, everyone now watching the pool with interest.  
  
"So it shall be done," The young woman intoned, and focused her gaze upon the wells reflection. A bit of drama never hurt anyone.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Soun Tendo sat in on the porch overlooking the nice little koi pond that he and his wife had decided on putting in the garden, and reflected upon the time since he had left his life with the traitor Saotome behind seven years ago.  
  
He had met his wonderful wife six years ago, and their first child had been born two years later, a beautiful girl they had named Kasumi, after Souns grandmother. She had always been a peaceful and polite woman, and had been strong when needed. Hopefully, some of that strength would be imparted on the child.  
  
Two years later Nabiki had been born, Named for his wifes mother, a clever woman that always knew what to do and never lost control, and yet had a heart of gold beneath her cool exterior. Soun was lucky when it came to in-laws, singularly so, for the old womans husband liked him as well.  
  
And then, after a mere year had passed, had come the latest addition to his growing family, a third girl, named Akane, scarlet as the setting sun and fiery as a burning flame. She was a very active child, and was constantly having small accidents, but that never stopped her spirit or her curiosity. Who knew what strenght and character would be hers?  
  
Soun had , in short, a beautiful house, three magnificent daughters, a kind and caring wife, a dojo where he could teach the Art, was in as good shape as the day he had left his master, and in-laws that loved him. And yet, worry laced his heart.  
  
The promise made with the traitor was currently uppermost in his mind, and he was afraid. He had no male heir, and yet the promise had been made to let the heirs to the school fight for the right of masterhood. He knew that Genma would not have waited to find some unsuspecting woman to marry and have a child- a male child. He was getting rather pressed for time.  
  
He was in deep thought, and was suddenly shocked out of his reverie when he saw his daughters playing together in the backyard, acting more like boys than the girls they were. They had obviously been watching their father teaching his students, for they were playfully mimicking his moves, albeit rather clumsily.  
  
Then a thought struck him, sudden as lightning. Was it not the master that had said that only men could learn his Art? Was it not he that had so impressed Genma, inspired him to fight his friend? He would not be like his master! Just because the master said that he could not do didnt mean that Soun Tendo could not! And was it not a sign of true mastery to do what others could not?  
  
He was determined now. He would teach his daughters the Art, then pick the best to be his personal protegé, his heir to the school. Genma would most likely leave his wife as soon as he had but one child, but Soun would have three to choose from, and a loving wife to support him!  
  
All despair gone from his mind, Soun Tendo watched his daughters at play, joy filling his heart from watching the hope of the future.  
  
His future.  
  
Their future.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Genma Saotome looked upon his crying son, and despaired. The woman he had married, Nodoka, was nice and Genma found himself caring a great deal for her, But she was far too soft for his boy.  
  
She constantly mollycoddled him, perhaps giving him sweets and singing bedtime songs to the boy. No son of his should have to endure such treatment! They were men amongst men, the Saotomes, and did not need such comfort as he got here.  
  
He watched as his wife comforted their son and let him loose in the garden, watching him fondly as he went about, horsing around and running everywhere he went. Genma had to admit that the name she had chosen, Ranma, fit the boy rather well. But he would never live up to his name, becoming a fierce stallion, greater then any other, if he stayed here. He would at most become a weak gelding.  
  
And thus, Genma ignored his family as he pondered the problem at hand. He had been quite lucky to have a son as his firstborn, and the child was healthy, no doubt about that. He had been keeping in shape, so as to give the boy a proper challenge when the time came to train him. His stomach was well shaped and looked rock hard, which indeed it was. He smiled at the thought that one day, his son would have the same build as he. Even better, for the boy was not nearsighted and seemed to have inherited his mothers hair, reducing the chance of baldness.  
  
But, he thought rather bitterly, the raw steel that the boy is must be forged through hard work and patience. Not by being in the presence of an adoring, fawning mother.  
  
He then had a stroke of brilliance. He would take the boy with him on a training trip, forging him trough natures forces into the perfect warrior. He would get Nodokas agreement by saying that he would make a man of him, knowing that her peculiar ideas of manhood would probably push her into agreeing to the plan. He would then know for sure wether the boy was a true martial artist.  
  
He looked happily upon his son, still obliviously playing in the yard, and caught the eye of his wife, who mistook his smile for being one of pride. The future of the Saotome school of martial arts was assured.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Soun sat with his girls, his heart darkened by the sorrow he felt. The girls were crying, holding onto each other and onto him as if they were the only thing kepping them afloat in a dark storm. To their great sorrow, this was not far from the truth.  
  
Why did she have to go now? Why could we not have lived together, watching our children grow up, seeing our grandchildren, growing old together...  
  
Souns eyes filled with silent tears, and he held even tighter on to his daughters than before. Poor, dear children, that you must witness such a thing. Oh, the fate that caused your mother to pass away. Curse the fate that took her away from us!  
  
Suddenly, he felt a hand in his, small yet strong and determined. He looked at his hand, then looked at the owner, into the eyes of Kasumi. She stood there, tears running silently down her little face, from those big brown eyes of hers. So much like her mother...  
  
He then saw the determination in the childs eyes, and his heart took a leap. The strength of the woman that she had been named for was evident in the young face before him. And then and there, he knew that he must be strong. He would not fail his children. He would raise them on his own, would complete their training and would make sure they grew up to be fine women.  
  
He took Kasumi in an embrace, his tears slowed by his determination, and looked at his other girls. He saw Nabikis face, the girl attempting to hide behind a layer of ice, and Akanes, her eyes stinging with tears, not bothering to hide her feelings, looking angrily into the distance.  
  
Without hesitating, he took them into another hug, and saw Nabikis facade slip off her face and Akanes anger fade away. They were a family, and they would get through this.  
  
And they would keep their mothers memory alive.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Genma was pleased. His son showed eagerness at his training and was getting better by the day. He also was losing the puppy-fat that had been on his body. It was time to intensify his training at last. There was even more to be happy about, for he had been spying on his opponent two weeks ago, and he had not only had no sons but he was also crying like a little girl when Genma had seen him. Soun was going soft, and no girl could be a match for his son. Still, better be cautious. He would have to make sure that the boy did not blanch at the thought of hitting a woman. It would not do for him to refuse to fight when the time came.  
  
He looked at the boy in question, and noted that he was faster than before. Good, he thought, he is coming along nicely. Now to train the boy in some serious martial arts, and give him a technique to make him unbeatable.  
  
He drew out a small, green and slightly tattered book, which had the words "Cat-Fist Training Manual" on the cover in kanji. he looked at the pit he and his son had dug, and heard the starving cats below. he looked at the mass of fish sausage he had stolen and at the metal cover he had found in a local junkyard. He then looked at his boy, who was performing a simple kata. Everything was ready. A gleam entered Genmas eye. He was going to enjoy making his son into a martial artist.  
  
"Get over here, boy. Im gonna teach you a new technique today."  
  
Ranma, face slightly discolored and thin but still happy, yelled slightly in joy, oblivious to what would happen to him.  
  
"Really? What is it?"  
  
Genma couldnt help but smile at his enthusiasm, then quickly straightened his features before the boy saw him. He wasnt about to show weakness now, not at his moment of triumph!  
  
"Stand still for a second boy," Genma said, picking up the sausages.  
  
Ranma immediately stood as still as a post, showing some amount of apprehension. His dad had put him through a lot of strange things in the name of training, and some had been really painful. Fortunately, this didnt look too bad.  
  
"Wipe that look off your face, boy! Dont show any weakness!" Came a barked order from Genma as he proceeded to wrap the boy head to toe in fish sausage. He then picked the boy up and carried him roughly over to the pit.  
  
"Youre about to learn the Cat-Fist, boy, and you better learn it quickly!"  
  
This having been said, he threw Ranma into the pit. The cats had been properly starved for three days and were ready for the task at hand.  
  
"Daddy? Daddy, I dont like this," Said the young boy, his mind fervently looking for a reason for him being there.  
  
"Stop whining and be a man, Ranma!"  
  
And with those words, Genma closed the pit just as the pained and frightened screams began.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Akane looked at her opponent, evaluating her stance and noting the style used. She was gonna make daddy proud of her!  
  
With a yell, the slightly taller girl in front of her charged, punching at the place akanes head had been a second before. In one motion she blocked and retaliated, instantly turning her body to go with the blow and aiming for the solar plexus, all in one motion.  
  
Her opponent barely managed to twist away, kicking at Akanes legs, but the attack was easily evaded, and the response was not long in coming, Akanes feet in the air and kicking at the older girls head.  
  
"Thats good, Akane, go with the flow. Nabiki, you need to work on your attacks, they leave you a little open."  
  
The two girls stopped in their tracks, turned to their father and bowed.  
  
"Hai, sensei."  
  
Soun looked proudly at his daughters, and was at his happiest in two years. Kasumi had not been really interested in the Art, besides for self defense, nor did Nabiki show much aptitude except when evaluating opponents, but Akane was steadily improving and had considerable interest in continuing. There was no doubt that she would be the heir to the school, even though his other daughters could take on boys twice their age, and had done so repeatedly during the lessons he still gave, even with the added workload of taking care of his children.  
  
She was the pride of his school, and was up there with his best students. The other two were also by far good enough to win tournaments, and the three girls had often taken the three top places, Akane always with the gold. Nabiki and Kasumi were more interested in keeping in shape, and the cost in bricks had gone up considerably, according to Nabiki, who managed the family accounts with coniderable skill. The two older sisters found it strangely satisfying to practice in that manner. Akane, however, was beyond that level.  
  
This was in no way showing favoritism, for each person had a role to play in the family. Akane wasnt as... apt... as Kasumi when it came to cooking, and Nabiki had a knack for maths which Akane showed little interest in learning beyond what she must at school. Akanes skill simply lay in martial arts.  
  
"Good match, neechan. Youre really improving."  
  
"Im not as good as you are."  
  
Soun watched the sisters talking, and was filled with pride. they had gone through hard times and were still a unified whole, as happy as ever. The memory of his wife did not fill him with sadness, as before, but with a joy in knowing that she lived on in their daughters, and this thought gave him strength in trying times. Yes, he thought, Akane would show the strength found in family and channel that strength into her fighting, a unifying ideal that would never be beaten.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Genma watched his son, having waited for three days for the weakling boy to show up. He was glad that he was taking this boy on in a straight challenge. The last time the boy had met anyone he had dared make friends with them. With a girl! The boy was a string of failures, having become weak with his fear of cats and with that supposed friendship.  
  
He remembered warning the Kuonji fellow to keep his daughter away from his son, but he hadnt listened, so Genma had been forced to beat the man up. He had also destroyed that yattai the man used to peddle his okonomyaki. He had then left with his son, leaving the devastated Kuonji girl, Ukyo, to her own fate. Well, not for long, after all her father would eventually heal. Genma was not a cruel man, or at least he liked to think so.  
  
Turning his attention to the present, he watched his boy, by now looking a little tired and hungry from waiting. He decided to end this: three days waiting and no show constituted admission of his boys superiority, in his opinion.  
  
"Come here, son. That Hibiki boy isnt going to show up. He has forfeited the match."  
  
Ranma silently complied, and nearly collapsed on the street. Genma thought that this was rather good training. Ranma had remained focused for all that time without giving in. Perhaps he would be a man yet. Gemna decided that he would give Ranma more rest than usual this night. A good long seven hour sleep should do it. After all, he didnt want his son to get soft.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Akane faced the horde of boys before her, her anger and irritation apparent on her features. Damn that Kuno! Why did he have to make that stupid announcement! So she wore a boys uniform, so she was a martial artist, so she was available. That didnt mean that he had any right to do something like this!  
  
The memory was still in her mind, fresh as if it had happened yesterday, even though it was about a week since.  
  
"Akane Tendo, fiercest of all maidens, my beautiful tigress, my dearest of loves, why do you conceal your womanly features from mine eyes? What calamity has befallen thee, to cause such a travesty?"  
  
"I happen to like wearing a boys uniform, Kuno. And Im not "your tigress", you idiot!"  
  
Kuno had ignored her completely.  
  
"Hear me, my fellow students of Furinkan, and hearken to the words of your Shooting Star(tm)! I do now declare that whomsoever wishes to date with she who is fairest of all, Akane Tendo, must first beat her in honorable combat and convince her of the folly of her attire!"  
  
Akane ground her teeth at the memory, and became even more angry when she thought of how Kuno had been holding back on her. She could have beaten him easily even if he had ever gone full out on her, but she didnt like it when others saw her as weak just because of her gender.  
  
In short, the horde of hormone-crazed boys had even less chance than before in beating her that day.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Genma and his son were travelling to a certain training ground in china, and Genma couldnt help but think that his son was becoming more of a man daily. He showed little or no emotion, and was as well built as himself. He had even grown taller than his father and was kept his cool in a fight. Yessir, He had done quite a job on that boy.  
  
"Were nearly there, boy. prepare yourself for the toughest training of your life!"  
  
The youth looked at his father, and it becomes obvious that his father is not very perceptive, for although no emotion is seen in his face, his sky blue eyes did not conceal the years of pain and hardship that he had suffered.  
  
"Somehow I doubt that, old man. How could a dinky little training ground improve me in any way?"  
  
Genma was pleased at the hard and cold voice he heard from his son, and ignored the barely suppressed anger and pain evident in his eyes.  
  
"Youll see soon enough, boy. The hot springs of Jusenkyo will complete the work I begun so long ago, and you shall soon be ready for the challenge at hand!"  
  
Ramna thought of the challenge his father had often waved over his head. Considering the amount of time he spent talking about it, it was rather surprising that he knew nothing of the the event, except that it had been decided before he was born. however, if Genmas word was to be trusted, the opponent would be no match for him and his skill.  
  
If his word was to be trusted.  
  
The two ran on towards the valley, going onwards to meet their fate.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Tendo,  
  
Bringing my son from China.  
  
Will come in three days.  
  
Prepare yourself.  
  
Saotome.  
  
Soun stared at the postcard, his eyes fierce and cold. So, after two decades, it was finally time to settle the dispute. It was time to prove that his way was the best, that he had been right about his decision in training Akane. She was ready, and would defend her familys honor.  
  
"Kasumi, Nabiki, Akane, could you come in here please?"  
  
Kasumi walked in, wearing a sparkling white gi with a red belt around her waist.  
  
"Nabiki and Akane are in the dojo, father. Ill go get them."  
  
"You do that, Kasumi dear. This is rather important."  
  
Kasumi walked to the dojo, having been on her way to practice. She briefly thought of what could be so important as to disrupt their training, and decided that she would soon find out.  
  
She opened the dojo door, and watched her sisters practice for a moment, each in her own way. Nabiki was beating up a rather battered training dummy, while Akane, as always, seemed to prefer performing incredibly complex katas with no apparent effort, Moving with absolutely fluid grace.  
  
Kasumi admired her youngest sisters form, the absolute perfection of form and the deceptively powerful frame of her body. She was really good, and she knew it. She then spoke up.  
  
"Akane, Nabiki, father wants to see us right now, he says its important."  
  
"Allright, Kasumi, well be right there," answered Nabiki, having mutilated the training dummy to her tastes.  
  
Akane moved with great speed, kicking, punching and blocking invisible opponents, then stopped, her eyes closed. She breathed deeply, then opened her eyes, smiling at Kasumi.  
  
"Coming!" She said, her voice happy and peaceful, and she jumped over her big sister on her way to the living room.  
  
"Showoff," came the voice of Nabiki, not bitter or angry in any way, but rather filled with wry amusement.  
  
"Oh my, shes such an active girl."  
  
"Heh, you said it, sis. Lets go see what daddy wants."  
  
And with these words, the two walked into the house and sat down at the table in front of their father.  
  
The sisters waited patiently, Nabiki eyeing the panda postcard curiously, Kasumi with a pleasent smile on her face and Akane with barely concealed impatience.  
  
"Where to begin," said Soun, deep in thought. "Perhaps it is best to begin by telling you about a former friend of mine."  
  
"Back when I was a young man, I trained under a great master of the Art. I will not go into that further, except that I was not the only one trained. You see, there was another man, Genma Saotome, that trained with me."  
  
He looked at his daughters, and saw that he now had their interest, even Akane sitting attentively.  
  
"We were inseperable, always together in all ways and all days, and back then I would have trusted him with my life. Unfortunately, this did not remain so."  
  
He now had their full attention, and was warming up to the tale.  
  
"One day, we left the master, him having been more evil than words can describe, and as we were celebrating our freedom from his yoke, Saotome turned traitor on me, saying that there could be only one master of the Art."  
  
Kasumi gasped and put one hand to her mouth, Nabiki looked at her father with a calculating expression an Akane listened, angered that anyone would be so dishonorable towards her father.  
  
"We fought for an entire night and day, neither of us gaining the upper hand, and when we finally stopped, we made an agreement."  
  
At the mention of a contract, Nabiki leaned forward, cocking her head with interest, while Akane was still having her mind boggled by the sheer endurance of her father.  
  
"We agreed that we would test our skill by training an heir to our Art, and that our heirs would fight the challenge, the one to win proving which was superior. And now the day has come to meet that challenge, made over two decades ago."  
  
Kasumi gasped.  
  
"You mean..."  
  
"Yes, Kasumi. in three days, Genma will arrive here at the dojo, bringing his son with him, in order to settle the matter. And you, Akane, will be the one to meet the challenge, for you are now my heir."  
  
"M-me? Daddy, are you sure?" There was no uncertainty in her face, for she was now beaming with pride at the trust shown in her.  
  
"Yes, my dear. I know you wont let us down."  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Dont you just hate me for putting a cliffhanger here? Btw, I had no idea that Akane would turn out to be such a tomboy when I began this. The image of Kuno ranting about Akane hiding her form just wouldnt leave my mind. Feel free to say whatever you wish and please dont hesitate. Only by expressing our thoughts do we truly become free. 


	3. The life of a master

The original upload got messed up, entirely a fault of mine. Gomen.  
  
The computer I use has been having problems lately. I´ve been wondering wether I should call in an exorcist (Or, failing that, a new computer).  
  
Thank y´all for the comments and positive reviews. Nothing boosts your ego quite like total strangers telling you that you´re doing a good job, and with the aforementioned teachers, I need all the boosts I can get. (wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more.)  
  
Oh, I also have a policy to reply all mail sent to my inbox, so if you want to ask me something, just mail me at MrAndri@Hotmail.com. (Shameless plug, this ;-) )  
  
  
  
Slightly disturbed productions present  
  
A Ranma 1/2 FanFiction by WhiteIckyThing(Patent pending)  
  
With special thanks to:  
  
Nementh  
  
Sonic  
  
And, of course, Metroanime.  
  
May the muse be forever bountiful for them.  
  
  
  
The Masters of the Art  
  
Part 2: The life of a master  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I have made no money and will not make money from this piece of fiction, and it´s not really mine either, only the storyline that I make up can be called my property. So buzz off, lawyers!  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Toltiir looked around, and saw a lot of beings, far more than had been there when it all began. Many had conjured seats out of nowhere, others floated in the air, yet others sat on rocks or even hung on the shoulders of the bigger ones. It seemed as if this timeline was turning out to be rather popular, though there would always be those whom did not agree with the way it went. But, he thought, was that not part of the fun?  
  
He looked at the newcomer, and noted that he had changed from a young woman into an age-bent Tengu, and was talking to a rather sleek looking taloned thing. Whoever this person was, it was obviously rather powerful. He would have to find out who this was, eventually.  
  
The cat shook his head, then looked into the well, along with almost everyone else. He abruptly noted that he had not even considered stopping the stranger off, and as he looked down, He was rather glad that he hadn´t, for this little gathering was proving to be amusing, as well as interesting. He wasn´t going to be bored for a little while yet, possibly even for another week.  
  
This Ranma was turning out to be more emotionally controlled and far more introspective than the original. Two points for the stranger there. He seemed to know what he was doing, even if he had just shifted shapes again... Ick. Even the Tengu had been better than this. I mean, a PINK ELEPHANT? In ROBES?  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
In the Nerima district of Tokyo, Japan, a panda walked along, with a young red-head walking in long strides by its side. She had several bruises on her face, but seemed to bear it stoically with no apparent sign of discomfort. She wore a dark grey gi, and thus the injuries were rather comfortably explained to any bystanders, even if the panda was not.  
  
The panda in question was fuming. He had trained his son so well, and the boy had been such an example of manhood that Genma had been ready to forgive the Cat-fist thing, and then this had to happen. The fates were truly cruel to this poor man.  
  
On top of that, that GIRL of his had disobeyed him in that village in china soon afterwards! He had, of course, disciplined her severely, but she would recover in time for the challenge. In three days, his SON would at last complete his destiny, and clear the shame of any unmanly thing he had done. Now to find a place to stay for a little while and watch the hated Tendo at work...  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Ranma Saotome walked, head high and face carefully void of emotion, and thought of his current situation. The challenge, it seemed, would be fought soon, and and then they could at last settle down, Genma taking on new students and Ranma helping as well. This was what he hoped for, for the constant motion that was his life was becoming irritating and tedious. Perhaps he would get permission from his father to go on one last journey in order to find a cure for the curse.  
  
He was, however, thinking of this mainly in order to avoid his current crisis of faith. He had been turned into a girl, the one thing he simply could not be, and yet, against all he had learned, he was no weaker for it, compensating for a slight loss of strength with a significant increase in speed. This both interested him and frightened him, though he would not admit it. He deeply hated his father, but all he knew came from the man, and if some of it was proven to be wrong, he would have nothing that he could fall back upon. He would lose his mental balance, so to speak. His life was as it was, and he could not imagine it being any different.  
  
He then recalled the amazons, his father ordering him, and his hesitation... the hesitation that had cost him dearly. It took very little to anger Genma Saotome, and the bruises still pained him. They were not only on his-, well, why not face the truth- her face.  
  
She stopped when the panda put a paw in her way, holdin a sign saying #We´ll camp here. Set up the tent.#  
  
The girl noted that they were currently in a park of some sort, surrounded by trees. She nodded at the panda, which immediately walked off on some business of it´s own. Ranma then did something that would never have gone unpunished if her father had seen it.  
  
She sighed.  
  
The girl quickly unpacked the tent, and silently began to knock the tentspikes into the ground with the flat of her palms.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Dawn broke the next day, the sun casting it´s light to banish the last shadows of the night, and all was peaceful in the Nerima district.  
  
"Heeeeyaaaah!"  
  
Well, mostly peaceful.  
  
In the Tendo family dojo, a fierce sparring match was currently taking place. Soun and Akane faced off, the two older sisters of the household watching the practice with interest even as they warmed up for their own match. Even on the frequent and, indeed, numerous training trips they took, they had not seen Soun train with such intensity. Akane didn´t seem to mind this at all, and indeed seemed not to notice, as she moved from block to punch to jump to kick seamlessly, giving no quarter. Her father was no less graceful or skilled, punching, dodging, backing up and blocking in response to his daughter´s maneuvers.  
  
Each of the three sisters had her own strength and way of fighting. Kasumi rarely attacked, preferring to psyche out opponents into making mistakes, and had a superb defence. Nabiki read her opponents, often knowing before they did how they would strike, and had the ability to play a fight in her head a hundred times to cover any possibility. And yet, neither could defeat the youngest Tendo.  
  
Akane´s strategy was to simply outclass her opponents, and when this was not an option, to find a weakness in her opponent, sometimes making up new moves on the fly. It made her an extremely unpredictable opponent, and she was patient enough to find a chink in any armour, so to speak.  
  
When properly motivated, Akane could beat almost any opponent, the only exception so far having been her father, for even with all her skill she simply could not beat the man. His skill was greater than any of them (and all of them together, in fact) could boast of.  
  
With something almost amounting to regret, the two sisters watched the display end, for it had been as good as any ballet when it came to pure grace and form, and began sparring themselves as the other two members of the family stopped and bowed to each other. Even then they were amazed, listening to their father criticising their sister´s form, berating her for things they hadn´t even considered to be weaknesses.  
  
Soon after, Akane went out on her normal run through the neighborhood, mostly bouncing off the rooftops just for the hell of it, and thought of the upcoming challenge. Her daddy obviously wanted to make sure she was ready, for he had been far more intense this morning than usual. She was grateful for this, because any extra training was worth it, as long as she continued to improve. Gaining a little extra skill before the challenge couldn´t hurt.  
  
She smiled at the feel of the sun´s warmth on her back, jumped on a nearby fence for a little balance practice and, well, because she wanted to, and slowed down a bit, enjoying the cool feel of the morning breeze.  
  
  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Elsewhere in the district another match was taking place. The park did not see many visitors so early in the morning, and the few who were there shuddered and left when they saw the display before them.  
  
While the sparring of the Tendos had been full of grace and vitality, showing the Art at it´s best form, this was brutal and fierce, no mercy shown, no quarter given. There were no jumps, no exultant battle cries, no flashy attacks. This was far more conservative, more about winning and survival rather than the Art itself. The cold feel of the combatants practically radiated from them, making people nearby shiver with sudden fright, and goosebumps rise from a chill felt only in the heart.  
  
Ranma coolly noted everything in his environment, including the rising sun, useful for distracting the opponent before him, not caring about trivial matters like the morning being somehow "nice". He knew that his father had taught him that fighting was meaningless if you did not win, but he secretely enjoyed the exultation that he felt in battle. After all, he wouldn´t enjoy the feel of victory any more than usual. He had never really beaten his father, for everything he did always seemed to be countered in ways he had never even thought of.  
  
It was rather appropriate for him to be thinking of this at that exact moment, for it was right then that his father somehow managed to block a new punch with barely any effort, and threw the boy ungracefully into a nearby pond, much to the annoyance of the local ducks.  
  
"You´re getting overconfident again, boy. Never base your strategy around a single attack, thinking that it cannot be countered. Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes, Sensei."  
  
The newly turned girl noted that this did not seem to satisfy him, for he walked with a determined expression towards her. She knew what was coming, and prepared for it. She hoped that her father wouldn´t cause too many bruises this time, they were annoying enough without being there all the time.  
  
Genma punched his offspring fast and furiously in the face, with enough power to break an elephant´s neck.  
  
"Do you understand?"  
  
The girl did not even flinch, showing no discomfort at her new injury.  
  
"Yes, Sensei, I understand. I will not base my strategy around a single attack."  
  
Her father simply sneered, saying nothing to either apologise or praise her.  
  
"Pack up the tent. We have a place to stay until the challenge is done with."  
  
The girl silently complied, hate and anger flashing in her eyes when the man turned away.  
  
She did not mind the pain she felt on her face. One has a tendency to get used to pain when it is applied frequently in large amounts. There was another pain she felt, however, that had nothing to do with the growing bruise on her features.  
  
She knew that, according to her father, a man had every right to discipline his children as he saw fit. If the stupid old man wanted to punish her, he could do so with no fear of retaliation.  
  
So why did it always feel like a part of her died every time he did so? Wasn´t it supposed to be like this? Was her father wrong about more than the supposed weakness of her current form? And if so, what?  
  
Ranma was lost in thought, silently packing the supplies, and hoping that the answers would be forthcoming soon. The bruises were getting on her nerves again. One of these days, the stupid old man would get what was coming to him.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Some time later, Akane walked home from school, thinking angrily once again about the stupidity of the male part of the human race, in particular the teenaged part, and what she would like to do to them if the opportunity came. She was contemplating many ways of torture for a certain kendoist and had reached a very discusting thing involving three albino rats and a grated piece of gorgonzola cheese when she thought that maybe she should see Kasumi about some extra training and headed towards the local clinic. Kasumi spent all her time with that nice doctor Tofu since she asked him out for the first time. She had been so embarrased about taking the initiative by doing so, but Nabiki and Akane had convinced her to do it, seeing as he would never have worked up the courage himself.  
  
It was pretty sweet, but not always practical, because she never seemed to be around except in the morning and around dinner, forcing Nabiki and Akane to take a more active role in the duties of housekeeping. Neither of them had to cook dinner yet, but it seemed as if it was only a matter of time.  
  
As she approached the clinic, she was rather surprised to see a large panda in the lotus position in front of the building, looking for all the world like a meditating martial artist, or possibly a monk. She was rather more surprised to see a red-haired girl in front of it, in exactly the same position but upside down. Both had their eyes closed and seemed completely unaware of her presence.  
  
Akane walked slowly between them, for they were on either side of the door which led inside, and stared quite openly at the display. Who was that girl? Why was that panda sitting like that? And why in front of the clinic of all places?  
  
Being distracted, she failed to notice the skeletal figure creeping up behind her. A hand came down on her shoulder and, to put it mildly, Akane jumped- in the meaning that she rapidly accelerated upwards by the force of muscle expansion and/or contraction in her legs- and was left clinging to the ceiling for dear life.  
  
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"  
  
"Hi Akane, come to check up on your sister?"  
  
Akane calmed down, then got a slightly sour look on her face as she jumped down, her long hair trailing behind her. Doctor Tofu always delighted in doing this to her, and according to him, Betty, the skeleton, felt the same way. It did tend to become rather annoying, because no matter how she tried she could never feel him coming. Kasumi didn´t seem to have that problem, though. She always knew where the good doctor was.  
  
"Don´t scare me like that! But yeah, I was looking for Kasumi. But I also want to know who that girl is and why there´s a panda with her."  
  
"Oh, them? They´re just staying here for a few days on family business, I think. They said they would be leaving in a few days. I decided to let them stay for a while, they don´t seem to have any other place to stay."  
  
Akane grinned a little, knowing that Tofu was sometimes charitable to a fault, but Kasumi didn´t mind, and he did a lot of good things around the neighborhood, so he had become very popular around Nerima. She supposed that it wouldn´t hurt to have the houseguests around, and dismissed the way he talked about the panda as if it was human as another of his little ways.  
  
"They´re pretty good martial artist, actually. You should have seen them sparring earlier, it was amazing!"  
  
Akane instantly raised her interest in the strange guests a hundredfold at the mere mention of martial arts.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, in fact, maybe you should have a talk with them for a little while. Kasumi isn´t here, she went to the store, so that way you could pass the time until she gets here. But be patient, Ranma- the girl- is a bit... intense."  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Ranma had gotten up and was currently engrossed in a defensive kata while the panda was off on some business. It seemed as if the old man was doing that a lot since they came here, but he never told Ranma anything about it, and she wasn´t interested. Interest in anything but the art was swiftly crushed and Ranma subsequently punished for it. He had developed several secret interests besides the art in spite of his father´s warnings, however, especially at that time he had to recover from one of Genma´s "exercises". No one but him knew about this, and it would remain that way if he had any say about it.  
  
"Hi there!"  
  
Ranma looked over her shoulder at the girl that had just stepped out of the clinic. She had obviously come in while Ranma and her father had been meditating, for she had not noticed her before. Perhaps it might be benificial to learn how to detect more than just hostile opponents while meditating. What did she want?  
  
Akane got a bit nervous as the strange girl simply stood there, staring into her eyes with cold, blue eyes, without even aknowledging the greeting. The doc hadn´t been kidding, this was just plain scary! And the clothes the girl wore were no better: A dark grey gi, slightly worn and frayed, with no sleeves and an accompanying black belt to go with it. The pigtail the girl wore seemed almost out of place on her: you got the sense that her hair should be in a ponytail or standing straight up. There was also an almost intangible feel of a chill in the air as she approached her. Oh well, she had begun, so no sense in stopping now...  
  
"I´m Akane. You want to be friends?"  
  
Good thing that her voice was steadier than she felt. Man, those eyes... Well, at least they were not quite as cold as before. Maybe she was making progress!  
  
Ranma, in the meantime, was studying the girl inconspicuously. Long hair, black: A boy´s uniform, What was that all about? And what was this about "being friends", was she trying to lull Ranma into lowering his guard? Not gonna happen. Not after Ucch... Kuonji.  
  
"You may want to think a bit before offering friendship to total strangers. You never know whether they are normal or not."  
  
A sly insult there. Unfortunately, it seemed to go right over the girl´s head. Subtlety obviously wasn´t the method here. The girl- Akane?- just laughed.  
  
Akane was relieved, and laughed nervously. For a moment there it looked as if Ranma was going to attack her right then and there. Still, there was more than coldness in those eyes. If Akane hadn´t been used to reading other people´s emotions, in particular her superhumanly calm father and sisters, she would have missed it.  
  
"Heh, well, maybe you´re right, but doctor Tofu trusts you, and that´s enough in my book. Say, he mentioned something about you studying martial arts, could we spar a bit?"  
  
Ranma was quite surprised, both at her apparently genuine wish for friendship, but also at the desire for sparring he heard in Akane´s voice. That girl obviously liked martial arts, thus once again contradicting what Ranma´s father had taught her. Well, it was martial arts, he could practice against someone besides her father without being punished and besides, if the girl was good it would give Ranma something to think about.  
  
"Very well. My name is-"  
  
"I know, it´s Ranma. The doc told me."  
  
Straight to the point, eh? Ranma actually thought she felt a small grin forming on her face. This was just the way she liked it!  
  
Akane grinned when she saw Ranma´s mouth twitch into what might have been a smile. If the face hadn´t been so expressionless she might have missed it. She took a relaxed stance, inviting her opponent to attack first.  
  
Ranma went into a neutral stance, equally offensive and defensive, and looked at her opponent´s deceptively harmless posture. The girl was good, no doubt about that. Now to find out how good.  
  
And with that thought, she charged silently, throwing a small jab at Akane´s face, followed by a snap kick at her head before jumping back.  
  
Akane simply avoided the strikes, but the kick had nearly connected. She decided that this opponent was far beyond what she normally faced, and went into an offensive maneuver, using the momentum of her dodge to flip backwards and then jump into the air, going for the mid-air combat that her school specialised in.  
  
Ranma blocked the attack, and got in a hard hit in the lover abdomen of her opponent, before backing off a bit and taking to the air herself.  
  
The two fought in midair, jumping repeatedly, and exchanging blows for about ten minutes. Akane had only got a couple of hits in, while Ranma outclassed her severely, getting in at least a dozen hits in soft spots around Akane´s body. And the only thing that ran through Akane´s head at this point was that this was a real challenge. The hits she got in didn´t seem to have any effect at all! And to top it all off, the red haired girl knew Anything-goes! At most, Akane could defend herself for a while and hold her own for a bit, but winning seemed out of the question.  
  
Ranma was really grinning now, having proven his theory about his father lying to him about the supposed weaker sex, and thought how this was far more challenging than those amazons, although Akane was still no match for Ranma.  
  
The fighters stood facing each other, staring into each other´s face for a minute before, on some unseen signal, they broke off, bowing to each other.  
  
Akane noted with some disappointment that the smile on the girl´s face seemed to fade almost instantly, but wasn´t discouraged. This just showed that there was a nice person behind those eyes... Brrr, cold again. It almost gave her goosebumps, the way Ranma looked at her.  
  
Ranma, in the meantime, was silently berating herself for allowing someone to draw out an emotion in him. Emotions were weak. Friends were just enemies that had not been beaten. He would stand alone in all things...  
  
"Hey, you´re even better than me, Ranma. But where did you learn the Anything-Goes style?"  
  
Once again, Ranma was surprised by the friendly tone, and decided that he owed her at least an answer to that question. Seemed harmless enough.  
  
"My father taught me. He is a master of the Art."  
  
Akane´s mind boggled a bit. Just yesterday her father had told her that there was another master besides him, and now there was yet another one in the district?  
  
"I thought there were only two masters!"  
  
Ranma considered this for a moment, her expression not changing in the slightest.  
  
"I thought there was only one, until we fought. Your style couldn´t be more distinctive."  
  
This was true, Ranma thought. Only the Anything-Goes school specialized in mid-air combat and on-the-spot improvisation like that. This was interesting, to say the least. He would have to look in on this matter.  
  
"Wait, I think I hear my sister coming. We´ll talk later, okay? I´d like to spar again."  
  
Ranma couldn´t even open his mouth to answer before the girl waved her goodbye and ran off, jumping on the rooftops. She was a bit flashy for someone who fought for a living. Then again, that flashiness actually seemed to serve a purpose, for the girl was an incredibly good dodger. Maybe she could use that bit of knowledge...  
  
The boy turned girl couldn´t even finish that thought before a panda came at her from nowhere and pointed a sign at her.  
  
#Come with me. We´ll spar until dinner.#  
  
The girl silently complied, her thoughts still fixed on her new- acquintance, but only because there was no other word for it. She then focused on the challenge ahead, for on the day after tomorrow she would face an unknown opponent, and wanted to be ready.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Akane ran up on the rooftops, thinking of the sparring match with Ranma. The girl was rather conservative in her movements, but seemed to use her rigidity to increase the power of her blows. That trick could be useful to remember...  
  
She got no further with that thought, for she spotted her sister and jumped to her, talking of the upcoming challenge. She would have to focus, because she wanted to be ready for anything. Who knew what the third branch of the school would be like?  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Ranma was right: He had not been punished for sparring with that Akane girl. It was a good thing too: a new opponent, one that he could beat, and the opportunity to practice as a girl, so as to get used to the form. He would not be found at a disadvantage just because it rained when he was fighting. He didn´t like the thought of being caught off guard.  
  
But that girl had managed it. She actually made him smile. Made him show emotion. That was supposed to be impossible. Emotions were weak.  
  
Ranma shook his now male head slightly as he silently looked at Nerima from his vantage point from the rooftop of the clinic. He had managed to find a kettle in the kitchen when that Kasumi girl had left. There had been something about those two, something he could not put his finger on. It irritated him slightly. Especially Akane. Perhaps it had been her naivety, or maybe that enthusiasm she had shown? Something about her had caused him to slip, and it was not a good thing. He would have to examine her speech and reactions more closely the next time they met- if there would be a next time.  
  
Ranma heard the snoring of a panda waft out through the window directly beneath him, and judged that it was safe to begin. He took out a small, unadorned and rectangular case from his gi, opened it and removed something from within it. And then, under the watcful gaze of the moon and the shine of the stars, he let his worries and anger slip away as he began his practice.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
The day after was uneventful for all parties involved: The hospital wing of Furinkan high was visited once again by a throng of male students, A young boy turned into a girl and got yelled at, A young woman stopped by at a certain clinic to see her boyfriend, and things were rather peaceful around the neighborhood.  
  
Ranma had sparred with that Akane girl again, in female form of course, and had not reached any conclusion. Nothing was amiss, he was the same person and in control of his emotions. Yet he had almost smiled again. This was not the best of times to discover a weakness, for the challenge would be held tomorrow. What if he lost control in the middle of that fight? He would have to be careful. He sincerely hoped that his opponent would be nothing like Akane. Then he would be in trouble.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Once again, the sun rose above the horizon, but this time, all was not well. There was a tension in the air, as if something momentuous was about to happen. The world itself seemed to hold it´s breath, the birds were subdued in the morning light, the breeze spoke not of the good weather but of dire portents. This was the morning as it was experienced at the Tendo dojo.  
  
Akane was nearly bursting with anxiety. After having been once again soundly beaten by Ranma the day before, she was beginning to think that this opponent would be even worse. Ranma studied Anything Goes, and so did that Saotome guy her dad had talked about. What if he turned out to be even better?  
  
Akane shook her head. No one was going to beat her in this fight! She would put all she had into this one. No matter what, she wasn´t going to lose.  
  
She looked at her sisters, both dressed in formal Kimonos, and at her father, staring intently into the distance with a hard look in his eyes. She saw nothing but determination and it bolstered her. She would not lose, even if it killed her. She would prove to her father that she was worthy of his trust.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Ranma showed no emotion, but his mind was in turmoil. The more he thought of the confirmed weakness he had, the more he began to feel afraid. He wished that he had had more time to practice with that Akane girl before the challenge, but it looked as if that would have to wait. The upcoming challenge was a large factor in his current emotional state, and he was hoping that he wouldn´t have any trouble with this opponent. Then again, he shouldn´t have to worry too much. Akane was the only person that had ever uncovered his weakness.  
  
Then a flash of inspiration hit him. Maybe his father would be forgiving when he had won the challenge, so maybe Ranma could nudge him gently into staying a little longer in the Nerima district. Then he could work on his weakness at his leisure. His father would never need to know about it. What Genma did not know did not hurt Ranma.  
  
Thinking thusly, he walked onwards alongside his father towards what looked like a dojo. A large sign outside proclaimed it to be "The Tendo dojo of Anything-Goes Martial Arts". They were finally here.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
The Tendo´s were slightly shocked to hear someone knock the front door out of it´s hinges, causing a loud crash. All except Soun, that is.  
  
"So, Saotome is here. Now it ends at last."  
  
The sisters exchanged glances. By what they had heard, that Saotome was a monster!  
  
Footsteps were heard, coming ever closer to the dojo. There were at least two people walking towards their position, and in a sudden movement the door slid open.  
  
In walked an obviously bald man with glasses, but any further sign of age was not to be seen on the man. He looked at the assembled Family in front of him, and smiled a smile that looked more like a sneer than anything.  
  
"Sorry about the door, Tendo. I guess I don´t really know my own strength. Or was the door maybe that weak and light so that you could open it?"  
  
Before Soun could answer the man, Genma swept his hand towards the door.  
  
"No matter. I present my son and heir, Ranma."  
  
Akane´s head snapped up in shock, but she calmed down when she realised that this was not the person she was thinking of.  
  
In walked a tall, dark-haired boy of about Akane´s age, but more of Soun´s build. At first glance, he looked rather handsome until you noticed the cold, dispassionate eyes and the total lack of emotion on his face. He wore a dark grey gi, frayed and dirty, which only caused him to look even more menacing. He looked no less dangerous than his father and, in fact, seemed even more so. He walked to the center of the dojo and crossed his arms, looking dispassionately at the family.  
  
Kasumi looked at the boy with some fright showing on her face, Nabiki had tuned out her feelings and was analyzing the boy´s skills and coming out with rather impressive results, And Akane simply looked determined. This opponent was a boy, and she would be damned if she was going to lose to some big testosterone-marinated pervert!  
  
Soun, however, showed nothing.  
  
"I have my own heir, Saotome. You will not get away with your treatment of this house. Akane, step forward."  
  
Akane got up, and felt her fear flow away. It was like stage fright; You felt it when anticipating the show, but once on the stage it seemed almost irrelevant. She walked to the center, the boy backing up, making space for the duel without uncrossing his arms, and stared into his eyes.  
  
His sky blue eyes...  
  
They looked familiar. Very familiar. Too familiar for comfort.  
  
"You can´t be serious. A girl as your heir? You´ve obviously forgotten what the master taught us. Women are-"  
  
"No weaker than men, Saotome. This was a fault in our master´s techings. Why should we believe anything that old man said?"  
  
"He may have been an old fool, but he was a master of the Art. You don´t get to be that good without being right."  
  
"Might does not make right."  
  
"Tendo, you have truly grown soft if you believe this. Might is right. It´s the only true rule in life."  
  
As the two men argued ever more loudly, Akane and Ranma stood watching each other, completely unheeding of what was going on around them. There was only their opponent. There would only be the fight. Their thoughts were absolutely focused on the person before them.  
  
Ranma, in fact, was almost panicking. Of course, you wouldn´t see it on his face, but it was true nevertheless. His opponent was the only one who had ever found a weakness in his technique besides his father. The only one he had not wished to face. He couldn´t beat her, otherwise he would never figure out what was wrong! And who knew what would happen if he showed any emotion.  
  
Akane was getting more and more frustrated by the second. That guy wouldn´t even blink! And his eyes... they were just too familiar, and the longer she thought about it, the more frustrated she became when she could not remember where she had seen them before.  
  
At some unseen signal, the two fighters simultaniously snapped into fighting positions, still watching each other. Then, the fight began.  
  
Both combatants jumped high into the air, exchanging blows mostly to test each other out. Or at least Akane did. Ranma was intent on not showing any emotion, and was not really focusing on the fight.  
  
They landed, watching each other warily, and Akane was struck immediately by the familiar style the boy used. Unfortunately for her, it seemed that he was as good as the girl Ranma. Only one thing for it: All out attack!  
  
Ranma could not do anything. Something about that girl was slowly causing him to smile, especially when she showed such enthusiasm! He dodged and blocked her attacks, only occasionally throwing in a punch more for show than anything. They were still powerful enough to stop a horse, though.  
  
Suddenly, in the heightened state of mind caused by adrenaline, Akane remembered where she had seen those eyes. The red-headed girl. Ranma. And that grin... It was just like hers... and the pigtail, and the gi, and...  
  
She backed off, trying to seem determined, but a small look of amasement still crept on her face. They were just too much alike. Not even siblings could be that close, could they?  
  
She didn´t stop to think further, renewing her attack which seemed to be rather more careful than before. The small, almost-smile on that boy´s face should have irritated her, but for some reason it didn´t. It was just too much like the girl´s smile.  
  
And then Ranma used an attack only the two of them could possibly know. It was a move that Akane had developed when sparring with the girl-Ranma. It hadn´t worked, but it was a good move nevertheless. And now, this boy was using the exact same move. That cinched it: The girl and the boy definetly knew each other. And they were obviously close.  
  
Unconsciously, the fight slowly went down from an all-out match into a friendly sparring match. The two martial artists didn´t care who might be watching, or what was going on. They simply sparred together, comparing their skills on an invisible scale. Ten minutes passed, then another ten, then twenty, and still they fought in an almost friendly fashion.  
  
And suddenly they stopped when they both realised at the same time that something was wrong. For one thing, there was no one in the dojo to watch the fight.  
  
This, as one might imagine, was surprising.  
  
Ranma just looked around, an extremely small look of surprise on his face for just a moment.  
  
Akane wasn´t quite as subtle as that.  
  
"Where is everybody?"  
  
Ranma was about to answer with a sarcastic remark when he heard the noise of a fight outside.  
  
The two fighters looked at each other for a moment, then Ranma made a small noise of irritation and Akane shrugged.  
  
Before Akane could ask the boy about wether he knew the girl-Ranma, he quickly walked outside, and Akane was forced to run after him.  
  
"Hey, wait up you jerk!"  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Soun and Genma were fighting.  
  
That was it. There was no other word for it. Simple and direct, yet in simplicity can be found great beauty.  
  
Too bad that this wasn´t the case this time...  
  
"FLYING CRANE SPIRAL ATTACK!"  
  
A small, easily dodged kick from Genma.  
  
"ROARING PANTHER PUNCH!"  
  
An ineffectual jab from Soun.  
  
"CROUCHING DRAGON STRIKE!"  
  
A slight punch, slow and impotent, on Genma´s part.  
  
Well, you get the picture. It was as if the two masters were children at play. And as Akane watched, she suddenly understood how they could have fought for an entire night without pausing. She had an incredulous look on her face and then, quite understandably, put her head in her hands. Her shoulders shook with what is commonly known as silent laughter. Her sisters wouldn´t have wanted to miss this for anything: Their serious father doing something like this? No wonder they weren´t in the dojo!  
  
Ranma, in the meantime, was pissed. He had gone through hell for ten years, suffered every torture imaginable and a few more besides, had gotten a mortal fear of cats, lived in fear and hate for his father, had a curse that turned him into a girl... All for THIS?  
  
The only reason he didn´t attack the stupid old man on the spot was the fact that Akane seemed to find this funny. How could anything be funny about this?  
  
"What´s so damn amusing?"  
  
Akane tried to look annoyed, but in the face of the spectacle in front of her, she just couldn´t do it. She simply pointed at the two men and laughed some more.  
  
Ranma just blinked once, still showing no emotion, before turning his head to the fight. He really did not understand this girl. He suddenly realised that the only way for him to weed out his weakness would be to understand what it was about her that made him smile. Shouldn´t be too hard, right?  
  
Poor Ranma. Greater men than he had tried the very same thing and failed utterly. He had his work cut out for him, right enough.  
  
Ranma suddenly felt irritated at his father again, and muttered under his breath.  
  
"Stupid old man. Can´t do anything right, can you."  
  
And at those words, Genma and Soun attacked each other at the exact same moment, and knocked each other out. This duel was over.  
  
Without any parting words whatsoever, Ranma picked up his father with one hand and jumped up onto the wall of the compund, pausing only for a moment to look at Akane speculatively before running off to the clinic, leaving behind a very amused young girl to look for her sisters, who had obviously decided that this wasn´t worth it some time earlier.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
Later that night, Genma woke up with a headache to rival the old master´s beatings, and noted that he was in the clinic, on his futon and in panda form. Ranma was nowhere to be found. His son had obviously thought of maintaining their disguise in front of the oldest of the Tendo girls- Kasumi, that was her name. He wasted no time in speculating on what went wrong.  
  
That treacherous Tendo had grown even weaker than he had thought at first, tricking Genma into the yard and thus posponing the match until a later date due to the lack of a witness on the Saotome´s part. Soon enough the challenge would be enacted, and then he would show him who was the master of the Anything Goes!  
  
But first, he would beat up that dwarf with the hammer that was pounding on his head...  
  
Genma Saotome fell asleep once more, the relaxing tunes of a flute playing somewhere outside lulling him into slumber.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Soun Tendo woke up, feeling a pack of ice on his forehead. So, that traitorous Saotome had betrayed his trust again. This was far from over!  
  
There were some minor annoyances to take care of first though...  
  
"Damn dwarf... stop pounding on my head with that hammer."  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Somewhere, on the shores of china, a very angry amazon was pondering how to get to japan. She fingered the bandage on her face, still sore from the incident at the village.  
  
She would find that girl and that man with her, and kill them both. For what they had done, they deserved no less. Their transgression was too great for anything more lenient.  
  
"Never to Forgive, Never to Forget!"  
  
She walked along the beach, hoping that she would find a port soon. It would not do for her to attempt to swim the distance, it was too far and besides, salt water and open wounds did not mix.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Ryoga Hibiki was lost. This was not really a special or unique occurance. He was eternally lost, and that was it. Of course, he would never admit it.  
  
Who knew why he was lost? Who knew how he had been cursed with a sense of direction so bad that it took him four hours to find his way out of a closet? No one really knew, but he had found himself a culprit. A man who had beaten him up every day just to get some bread, a man that had skipped out on their man-to-man fight, a man that had been mean to him just because he had been there. And his opinion was suddenly voiced loudly.  
  
"RANMA SAOTOME, THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"  
  
The boy looked around, seeing nothing but a dense wood, and decided to scare the local wildlife some more.  
  
"WHERE THE HELL AM I NOW?"  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Ukyo Kuonji was dressed in a black suit, and had tied her long, brown hair with a black ribbon. She had a giant spatula on her back and wore a bandolier full of smaller spatulas, as she did at all times. The rain pounded all around her, but she didn´t care. Nothing really mattered at the moment.  
  
She stood in front of her family shrine, and looked at the picture of her father she had just left there. He had been crippled for life, unable to feel anything below his waist since that bastard Saotome had brutally attacked him. He had still found the strength to teach her the secret arts of her family and had helped her with the shop she had opened when she was at school. He had been so strong, never complaining but always feeling pain that had nothing to do with his body.  
  
And now he was dead.  
  
She had sworn to him that she would avenge him, that the Saotomes would pay for what they had done.  
  
She walked off, leaving the shrine behind, and decided that she would practice her Art for a while before facing the bastards. Battling the sea seemed like a good training method, and she would stay on a local beach for a while before setting off.  
  
"You´ll pay for this, Saotome. This I swear on my father´s grave."  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
What? Don´t look at me like that, it´s scary. And what are you doing with that cattle prod?  
  
So I didn´t feel like writing a dark fic just yet. A little bit of humor never hurt.  
  
Feel free to review, and say whatever you wish. Only by expressing our thoughts do we truly become free.  
  
P.S. You like Nachos? I like Nachos. 


	4. The truth of a master

Slightly disturbed productions present  
  
A Ranma 1/2 FanFiction by WhiteIckyThing(Patent pending)  
  
With special thanks to:  
  
Nementh  
  
Sonic  
  
And, of course, Metroanime.  
  
May the muse be forever bountiful for them.  
  
Very special thanks to my dad  
  
And to Rumiko Takahashi.  
  
Both have inspired and encouraged me.  
  
  
  
The Masters of the Art  
  
Part 3: The truth of a master  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I have made no money and will not make money from this piece of fiction, and it´s not really mine either, only the storyline that I make up can be called my property. So buzz off, lawyers!  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
A small imp, sent by one of the ruling powers from down below, was watching the display before him in disbelief.  
  
This was not because of the many beings, both fair and foul, light and dark, powerful and weak, that he saw watching whatever it was his quarry was doing with that well the gods so liked to play around with. It was because he saw all those qualities and more in the stranger himself.  
  
The imp, so low in the pecking order that he had no true name to call his own, had been sent to monitor the activities of this being. The job was proving to be rather more spectacular than he had originally expected. The strange person had shifted shape between the most unlikely of forms, including a heron, a shark, a triceratops and, in his current form, into a small gray gerbil. It seemed to be shifting more and more rapidly the more it focused on the well and the crowd around him.  
  
There was power there. This was a recent god, its name still unknown, and it seemed as if it needed to learn some control, but the sheer amount of power... Well, gods feed on belief, and this one had the belief of many centered on him.  
  
The imp thought of the report he would have to make of the stranger, even as he shifted into a male... Well, it looked human, but no human had the tail of a monkey. The report would be long in the making, but it would be worth the work, if only to witness the spectacle forming in and around the well.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Nabiki Tendo was not in a good mood. Yesterday she had seen her father humiliating himself, her time had been wasted, and her younger sister had looked as if she had just had the time of her life. Akane wouldn´t have been in such a good mood if she knew what Nabiki knew.  
  
That Ranma boy was much more skilled than he had displayed in the dojo. She was not surprised that Akane and Kasumi hadn´t noticed, but they didn´t have her gift, after all. They had probably only focused on his admittedly alarming appearance, and not thought of analysing his movements or his skill. And they were not as good at that as Nabiki was.  
  
She had missed most of the fight between her sister and the boy, but she had seen the beginning before rushing out to see her father "fight", (And to think that she and Kasumi had thought it might be a clash of titans, one that they could not miss! Hah!) and for Nabiki this was more than enough. He had been holding back for sure, and yet had been above Akane´s level of skill. Nabiki was not sure how much he was holding back, exactly, but it was quite a lot. She thought for a moment that her father would have his hands full for a while if he ever went full out before shaking her head: That Ranma might be good, but he was not quite there yet. That was just impossible.  
  
Nevertheless, he was extremely powerful, and therefore dangerous. She would have to make sure, using whatever methods that were at her disposal, that he would not be a threat to the welfare of the Tendos. Her businesses at the school were important, but her family came first and foremost. And protecting them from a man with those incredibly cold eyes was a worthy goal indeed  
  
With that thought, she finished her morning workout, and went upstairs to the bathroom to have a bath before breakfast. Ranma Saotome had better not threaten her family if he knew what was good for him. The power of Nabiki Tendo was not to be trifled with. And this time, she wouldn´t be distracted by the expectation of a fight between their respective fathers. She hadn´t really thought that the challenge counted because there were no witnesses on the Saotome's part, but this was not a time to play by the rules anymore.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Ranma woke up to find his father , currently in panda form, attempting to throw punches at him. He was a heavy sleeper, causing him to be vulnerable while resting, but his father had compensated for that by attacking Ranma while he was sleeping. Eventually, Ranma had learned to dodge his father´s strikes unconsciously, and was rarely even scratched in the mornings these days as a result.  
  
The panda wasted no time in throwing some sort of bag at Ranma while holding up a sign.  
  
#You´re going to school, boy.#  
  
Ranma looked at the bag, which was indeed a schoolbag, investigated it for a second to be sure that there was nothing inherently painful or fatal hidden inside it, then looked at his father with the barest hint of a frown of irritation and suspicion showing on his face.  
  
"What´s this supposed to be, old man? Because if this is a new technique, it´s fitting for the display you put up yesterday."  
  
Genma flipped the sign over after hitting the boy in the head with it for the insult. So he had gotten sidetracked, so what? The boy was lucky that he was in a good mood.  
  
#Cover. The doctor is getting suspicious of our motives.#  
  
Again, it flipped, showing more text.  
  
#Besides, no son of mine will be stupid if I can help it.#  
  
Genma then kicked his son and flipped the sign once more.  
  
#Get up. We´ll spar before breakfast, and then you´re going to school.#  
  
Genma thought, as he often did, that the boy did not need to know anything about his plans. Genma knew, and it was enough for him. Ranma would be occupied in school, and might find some sparring partners to beat and thus spread the fame of the Anything Goes school of martial arts. He would stay away from the doctor´s and the Tendo spawn´s bad influence and lessen the risk of discovery by her. And he might just have the sense to watch the other two girls of the family, analysing their style and maybe even beating them around a bit for pretending to be fighters at all. Ranma would instantly hate the two girls at first sight, Genma was sure of it. This would give Genma the benefit of time, which he would use to spy on Soun Tendo. The man was more devious than he had first thought.  
  
As the boy jumped outside through the window in order to begin his morning exercise, Genma thought of the training methods he had used on the boy, and the philosophy behind them. He had given the boy fighting skill, but also a brain to use it with. A man with skill but no idea on how to best use it was a mere fighter or a brawler: His son was, however, a warrior. A man who knew that beating opponents was not just beating them up or killing them. True victory came only with the utter and complete humiliation of your opponent. And the boy certainly knew how to apply this in real life, that he had seen a long time ago. Learn all you can from your opponent, noting especially how they get through your defences or defend from you, then beat and humiliate them. So much more satisfying than killing them, and it helped in spreading the school´s good name.  
  
Genma decided that Tendo would soon feel the full extent of this philosophy. Ranma was already applying the rule to the youngest Tendo daughter, using the perfect disguise to gain her confidence: As another girl! His son was truly brilliant to think of that. The curse was obviously good for something, even though it made him weak.  
  
Feeling a small amount of pride before quickly squashing the feeling as ruthlessly as possible, he jumped out of the window to begin the morning's practice with his son.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Ranma walked away from the clinic, and was having a tough time suppressing the sheer amount of anger he felt. His STUPID father was still obsessing over that bastard Tendo and that idiotic challenge! As if Ranma´s life hadn´t been ruined badly enough by the fool already!  
  
Ranma wented his temper by punching through a nearby wall and tearing down a lamppost with a swift kick. A little senseless violence was surprisingly effective when you had to calm down.  
  
He stopped instantly when he heard a loud voice in the distance declaring that she did not want to have anything to do with a bunch of stupid boys, damn it! That voice... Akane Tendo. That girl obviously had no concept of stealth. She was just too much sometimes.  
  
Ranma jumped up on a nearby rooftop and noticed the unmistakeable long hair and boy´s uniform on top of a nearby fence. Listening in on what she had to say might be interesting and informative. Maybe she might even reveal personal weaknesses. That would go a long way towards finishing that stupid challenge a bit sooner, and counter the effect she had on him. He quickly wiped the silly grin that had been creeping onto his face off it at that thought. No time for weaknesses now.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Akane glared at her sister from where she stood. How dare Nabiki say something like that!  
  
"Well, Akane. You have to admit that you're kind of attracting attention by the way you dress. Could there be another motive for that, perhaps?"  
  
Nabiki smirked a bit when she saw her sister's face. Sometimes it was just too easy to tease her. Besides, why wouldn't she wear a girl's uniform anyway? The way Akane insisted on the male dress code, completely oblivious to just how much her form showed, was a bit childish. She should at least put on some chest straps or something, the uniform she wore was not designed to hide her assets at all.  
  
"Nabiki! I only wear this because I feel more comfortable like this, understand!"  
  
"You just wish you were a boy, don't you?"  
  
"Wha- NO WAY!"  
  
Akane was feeling a bit riled up at this point. Nabiki was constantly teasing her about the way she dressed, thus making Akane increasingly angry.  
  
What she didn't know was that Nabiki had a betting pool going at school, mostly managed by her underlings, as a way of a hobby. It wasn't about whether she would win, but how long it took her to do so. Making her angry lessened the chances of anyone betting correctly and of any of the boys winning and, if any of the boys actually won and decided to force themselves on her, that man would have to face the rest of the Tendos, so there was no real harm done.  
  
"IhateboysIhateboysIHATEBOYS I HATE BOYS!!!"  
  
Well, here we go again. There is no stopping Akane once she gets started.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Ranma had gone on slightly ahead, hearing nothing of interest from the sisters, and had been briefly curious about the large amount of guys standing around as if they were ready for battle when he heard the almost exultant battle cry that Akane emitted. That was a bit forceful, there was even some chi behind the shout! The girl´s enthusiasm was just too much! Ranma checked himself just in time. Smiling now would not be beneficial to his health, for it was entirely possible that his father was watching.  
  
Then, he was once again curious when he saw the boys charging at the Akane girl with everything from baseball bats to fencing rapiers while proclaiming their love for her. He wasn´t really understanding anything about what was going on here, but he had totally lost interest by the time the horde reached the girl. They had, even with their weight of numbers, less than no chance of beating her. Even the Akane girl´s older sister, with her pathetic skill, could beat them, though it would take a bit longer than this. They were mostly unskilled and uncoordinated in their attack, trying to stop each other as much as fighting her. And what a fight, they were mostly trying to get themselves a bit of a feel as it was! If this is what emotions did to a person in a fight then he wanted nothing to do with them.  
  
That guy with the stick behind the tree was much more controlled: He let the others tire her a bit, giving him a chance of analysing her skill in relative safety. Too bad he looked like an idiot in that getup, though. It seemed that he was planning a dramatic entrance rather than trying to find a weakness in his opponent. Huh. Emotions again. The only emotion that was even remotely useful was fear, and then only in an opponent. That was the absolute truth.  
  
The Akane girl appeared to have finished her opponents off. Well, time to butt in while she was still angry and recovering. Always catch your opponents at a disadvantage whenever you can.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Akane was angry, and thus was not really emotionally prepared to handle insults. Then again, fate rarely makes itself known beforehand, and an emotionally dead voice just made that point right then.  
  
"Having fun?"  
  
Akane spun around, ready to defend herself. What was HE doing here? She got no further with that line of thought as she caught an object that had been flying towards her face at great speed and turned out to be a rose. A boy wearing a kendoist outfit stepped out from behind a nearby tree, holding a bokken in his hand.  
  
"Truly, these wretches are a boorish lot, tarnishing the presence of the true beauty and flawless perfection that is you, my tigress, Akane Tendo. Oh, that you must hide your form from me just so that these peasants do not catch a glimpse of your body!"  
  
Ranma looked appraisingly at her clothes, and decided that this man was an idiot. There was nothing about the uniform that hid her form at all. His clothes were not exactly standard either: Not everyone wore a kendo outfit to school as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Not that Ranma had changed his clothing either, but it was the thought that counted.  
  
"Shut up, Kuno. I wear this because I want to!"  
  
"Ah! You hide your true feelings, not wishing to sink to the level of the common folk. But true love shall not be contained! I-"  
  
A rude interruption is always noticed by everyone. A very rude interruption, such as a loud yet completely emotionless laughter, would have a hard time being ignored at a clown convention.  
  
Ranma knew this, and applied it liberally. The insult was more directed at Akane rather than anyone else, so the pigtailed boy focused on her to the exclusion of everything else.  
  
"He he, so, you have a boyfriend do you? I´m surprised that a tomboy that dresses like that just to get some attention has one."  
  
Ranma, thanks to Nabiki earlier, knew exactly which buttons to push. He decided that perhaps his earlier eavesdropping had supplied a small point for exploitation after all, and was determined to use it to the fullest. Picking a fight with her would be easy and informative as well.  
  
"Hold! Who are you, whom speaks so casually of the beutiful Akane´s affections towards me?"  
  
Ranma had no intention on answering the fool, but was rudely interrupted by him before he could insult the now red-faced Tendo girl again.  
  
"Ah, but is it not custom to introduce oneself first? Very well, I shall! I am the undeafeated champion of the kendo club, the rising star of the local tournaments, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan high!"  
  
The tirade was underlined by a bolt of lightning flashing in the air. The annoying boy then slashed his bokken downwards, pointing at Ranma.  
  
"Upperclassman Tatewaki Kuno, age seventeen."  
  
"I am Ranma Saotome. You, no matter your delusions, are nothing."  
  
"WHAT! How dare you insult me so! I shall strike thee down where you stand, insolent swine!"  
  
Kuno charged at Ranma, bokken raised in a ready stance. Then a loud crunching noise was heard and Ranma simply turned away from the boy, walking towards the school. No one had seen him move at all.  
  
"As I said, you are nothing. I am a practicioner of the Saotome Anything- Goes school of martial arts, and cannot be defeated."  
  
Akane looked dumbstruck at the back of the boy, then at Kuno. Ranma had been holding back on her! He could have defeated her easily at any time yesterday! This was incredible! She had barely seen him move!  
  
As the student body watched, Kuno´s bokken slowly broke up into little pieces and Kuno fell down, unconscious and his right arm dislocated, protruding at a grotesque angle. Ranma had broken the weapon, dislocated his right shoulder and knocked him senseless in one strike.  
  
Nabiki simply took this as confirmation of her suspicions. This boy might actually be able to give the Tendo patriarch a decent challenge after all. She walked up to Kuno and, ignoring the amazed whispers of her fellow students, dragged him none too gently towards the hospital wing even as she pondered how to neutralize the threat that was Ranma Saotome. Kuno was better for her business when he was concious.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
"Class, we have a new student today. This is Ranma Saotome, and he´s recently arrived from china, so let´s give him a big Ni Hao welcome."  
  
No one did so much as twitch. A combination of seeing one of the school´s strongest fighters defeated with a single punch and Ranma´s unsettling appearance and sheer presence was enough to do what very few teachers in the world can. The class had their full attention focused on him and were absolutely quiet. He simply glared at the assembled students, causing many of them to wish that they had gone to the bathroom earlier. A guy with those chilling eyes and wearing a well used dark grey gi along with a few wrappings around his feet and hands tends to have that effect on people.  
  
"However, that does not excuse the fact that he is late. Go fetch some buckets and stand in the hall, and you too Akane Tendo. Try to show up on time in the future."  
  
Ranma looked at the teacher in an speculating fashion, as if he were considering where his next dinner was coming from, and to the man´s vast relief silently complied, followed by an annoyed long-haired girl in a boy´s uniform.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Akane was annoyed like hell. That bastard had interrupted her fight and then caused her to be late! The only consolation was that he hadn´t known the way to the classroom, and so had also been late. And now he was ignoring her completely after insulting her!  
  
"You´re just a stupid jerk, you know. That fight with Kuno was my fight, as it always is, and you had no right to butt in on it, you bastard!"  
  
Ranma looked at the Akane girl, and saw the girl´s will to fight. But now was not the time for that, and she had better understand that.  
  
"I don´t care about your fights, and you´ll have to do better than that if you´re trying to provoke me."  
  
"What, now you don´t want to fight me all of a sudden?"  
  
"That´s right. Now is not the time for that."  
  
Akane stopped her next insult when she heard that. She simply turned away from the annoying bastard before remembering that she had something to ask him about. She posed her question in an as venomous tone as she could manage.  
  
"By the way, how do you know the girl-Ranma?"  
  
Ranma looked at the Akane girl, and decided that she was more perceptive than he had originally thought. Maybe that naivety of hers was just a facade. Better be careful.  
  
"We´re pretty close, if that´s what you mean. Now be quiet, you´re getting kind of irritating."  
  
Akane saw red.  
  
"Oh, yeah?"  
  
She hefted a bucket, ready to throw water at the boy who seemed more alarmed at the sight of the bucket than at her threat, and even then you´d have to be lucky to spot it.  
  
Then, a loud kendoist decided to interrupt them both.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
"Go away, Kuno. I´ve told you before that I won´t sell you or anyone else information or pictures that have anything to do with my family, especially my sister."  
  
Nabiki may not have been averse to a bit of business, but there were limits to where she would go. Selling pictures of her sister would only inflame the kendoist´s ego, not to mention his libido, and the loss in profit was manageable. She didn´t have too many expenses, after all.  
  
"You are mistaken about my reasons for being here, Nabiki Tendo. I am not so single-minded that I would not ask of nought else but her."  
  
No, he'd also focus on any man but him that even so much as looked at "his tigress". It was too bad that the on-duty nurse was so experienced in treating injury that Kuno had been up again in no time. He was just too predictable sometimes.  
  
"Then you're asking about Ranma Saotome."  
  
"Perceptive, as always. What know you of that scoundrel?"  
  
Well, here was her opportunity to completely disgrace Ranma and get money from Kuno at the same time. Brilliant.  
  
"That'll be eight thousand yen, Kuno-baby."  
  
"What! Outrageous!"  
  
A large eraser flew through the air and made a small thumping noise on Kuno´s head.  
  
"Quiet, Tatewaki. We're trying to study here, so pay attention!"  
  
Nabiki simply looked at Kuno´s irritated expression.  
  
"It's that or nothing, Kuno-baby."  
  
"Very well, I accept your price. Tell me what you know of that fiend Saotome."  
  
"He's here on family business, but I can't tell you what it is, because it involves my family as well. Sufficient to say, it involves an agreement centered on Akane and Ranma."  
  
Now all that remained was for Kuno to get the wrong impression from this piece of information.  
  
"OUTRAGE! I will not allow this travesty to continue!"  
  
Cue one eraser coming sharply into contact with an empty head.  
  
"Kuno, go stand in the hall!"  
  
Kuno raised his bokken high, striking a dramatic pose before leaving the classroom.  
  
"I, Tatewaki Kuno, will free the beauteous Akane from the clutches of that vile Saotome!"  
  
This having been said, he immediately left the room, making a beeline to Akane´s class, leaving behind a rather smug Nabiki. This should be educational.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Akane and Ranma looked up at an enraged kendoist running at top speed towards them. Ranma was interested to see what the fool had to say this time. Perhaps one beating hadn´t been enough for him. It was always fun to kick a certain type of person around a bit, and Kuno fit the bill exactly.  
  
"Ranma Saotome, prepare yourself!"  
  
"For what, that spittle coming out of your mouth? It´s just too bad I don´t have a towel with me at the moment..."  
  
"SILENCE, WRETCH! A mere wanderer such as you has no right to speak to me in that manner! I will defeat you, and thus release the hold you have over Akane Tendo, most assuredly against her will!"  
  
Akane looked both confused and irritated at this point, While Ranma was just plain nauseated by the idiot.  
  
"What in the world are you talking about now? The only hold I´ll ever have over that crossdresser will be one that goes around the neck."  
  
"You would DARE subject the wondrous Akane to your vile perversions? Is it not enough that you have been dishonorably engaged to be married to her against her will! HAVE AT THEE!"  
  
Akane was, to say the least, a little surprised. So were the other students, who immediately left the classroom to offer their condolences to Akane for her misfortune.  
  
Ranma simply laughed. And then, just to make a point, kicked Kuno into a nearby wall even as the deranged kendoist charged at him, knocking the boy out, and further scaring the students.  
  
"Now THAT is a highly unlikely situation. That crossdresser will never marry according to what I´ve seen her do."  
  
Akane snapped out of the small shock she had been in, and stared menacingly at the pigtailed boy, even as the students pondered what it was, exactly, that he had seen her do, causing a couple of the more perverted ones to get nosebleeds.  
  
"Oh, really? And I suppose it´s more likely that someone will marry you? You and Kuno keep arguing like a couple, maybe you´ll make a perfect match!"  
  
"Look who´s talking. You´re the one that usually beats him up."  
  
This comment really got the student rumor mill going, with comments such as "Of course!" and "Now why didn´t I think of that?" flying into earshot, infuriating Akane, who decided that she didn´t need to control her temper at the moment.  
  
"What! Now you´re gonna get it!"  
  
And, trying to make good her promise, Akane attacked Ranma once again. No one but her saw the small cocky grin that showed slightly in one corner of his mouth, and she didn´t care.  
  
Ranma blocked her and backed away, jumping backwards down the corridor.  
  
"This is not a good place for a fight. Follow me!"  
  
"Gladly."  
  
And they ran on to a window, just as a certain kendoist woke up and decided to follow them. He saw them jump outside, and looked out just in time to see them fall into a pool below. Surely, that fool Saotome had made a grave error of judgment, one that the great Blue Thunder would never have made! In allowing himself to fall into a pool, that wanderer had shown that he was no match for Tatewaki Kuno!  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Akane battled that bastard Ranma in the air, and didn´t notice the pool below them until she had fallen in. This was quite unfortunate for her, for with all her skill in the martial arts, she had never been able to master the comparatively simple art of swimming.  
  
She held onto the small body, back turned at her, determined to drown her red-haired opponent along with her... Hey, wait a minute...  
  
She turned the red-head around, and looked her in the face with wide eyes, the effect of surprise only slightly spoiled by the fact that they were underwater. The girl had the exact same expression as that boy had, the same- and, Akane observed, now slightly oversized- gi, and even the same ridiculous pigtail. It was Ranma, all right, just not the one she had been expecting.  
  
Ranma looked at Akane, blinked once, and then threw her out of the pool, causing her to fly through the air. Akane, graceful as a cat, landed on her feet in time to see a grey and red blur shoot out of the pool and into the trees just beyond. Akane didn´t stop to think about what had just happened, she simply followed the other martial artist. It was far better than contemplating what this meant.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Ranma was furious. She had acted without thinking, had compromised her identity as someone who could spar with that Akane girl with little difficulty, and had once again shown emotion, with absolutely nothing to show for it!  
  
Ranma, for the second time that day, let herself be controlled by her anger as she ripped a large tree apart with her bare hands. She heard and saw absolutely nothing but the tree, and thus did not notice the person that was watching her.  
  
"Wha- What are you doing!"  
  
Ranma looked over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed, at the girl that had started this pointless and stupid show of emotion inside her.  
  
"Come to mock me, have you? Going to glory in the fact that your opponent is cursed to be something that he isn´t?"  
  
"No! I mean, no, but what happened? Are you the same person? I mean, uh..."  
  
Ranma stared at the girl, which was now wilting and wringing her hands nervously under her gaze. She actually looks concerned? And a little embarrased as well, for some reason!  
  
"Yes, I´m still Ranma Saotome. If you´re looking for an apology from me for insulting or fighting you, or for my condition, you´re not gonna get it."  
  
"That´s not what I... Look, just how is this possible? How can you be the same person, I mean, you were a lot nicer as a girl than a boy, and..."  
  
"I got a curse in china. Turn into a girl when splashed with cold water, and into a boy with hot water. And yes, we are the same person. You happy now?"  
  
Akane, deciding that this statement was just too plain weird to contemplate at the moment, posed her next question.  
  
"Which are you?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Are you a girl or a boy?"  
  
Why the heck would she be so interested in that of all things? She was just too plain weird. This time, Ranma didn´t notice the small smile creeping onto her face.  
  
"I´m a boy. Too bad you hate them, really. Sparring with you has been interesting."  
  
Akane slowly relaxed and even laughed a bit at that statement. Ranma – the boy – might not be that bad after all, what with him being the same person as the girl-Ranma.  
  
Their little chat was interrupted once again by an irate kendoist.  
  
"Ah, my love, I have found you! Oh! But who is that vision of beauty that stands beside thee? Truly she is worthy of my affections-"  
  
Two feet from two people chose that moment to meet the face of Tatewaki Kuno, causing instant unconsciousness.  
  
"Goddamn. I take back what I said about you two fighting, this guy is a maniac!"  
  
"That´s right. Welcome to my world."  
  
"Well, I´ve had enough of school. Be seeing you, be it as a friend or a foe."  
  
"Wha- Hey, wait! School´s not over yet! Where are you going? Get back here!"  
  
And thus, the two walked off, Ranma walking quietly along towards a place where she could think or practise a little, followed by Akane, still trying to get her to go back to school, completely oblivious to the fact that she was being just as much of a delinquent student as Ranma was.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Nabiki was lost in thought. She had come home to find that her sister hadn´t gotten home yet from her fight with Ranma. Akane had come home just before dinner, saying that she had spent some time with a friend of hers after fighting Ranma. If Akane had been hurt, Nabiki would not have hesitated in taking drastic action. Ranma had turned a disadvantage into a situation Nabiki would have a hard time defusing. By now, most of the school was convinced that Akane and Ranma were, unlikely as it was, engaged to be married, and it was Nabiki´s fault. She decided that she´d have to be more careful from now on in trying to attack Saotome, and resolved to wake up early for school next morning in order to sort out the rumors that were bound to have been flying around.  
  
This promise having been made, she turned off the lamp on her nightstand and went to sleep a bit earlier than usual. No one messed with the Tendos as long as she was around.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Akane lay in her bed, thinking about Ranma. They had sparred a bit, and Akane had promised, to his great surprise, not to reveal his curse to anyone. He hadn't thanked her, but she knew he was grateful. He was still holding back, but she decided that she wouldn't mention it, seeing as he was already a pretty big challenge as it was. Even as she thought about her new friend, she was surprised to find that she didn't care about his curse or the fact that he was a boy. She had seen Ranma as a girl, and knew that this was the same person, and this was enough for her. It was a good thing that she could keep her temper under control and think rationally when she needed it. The challenge between their families was just one of those things that couldn't be helped, really.  
  
Akane slowly drifted off, noting the sounds of a flute playing somewhere in the distance before falling asleep.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Ranma sat on a roof, a small distance from the clinic, and thought hard about Akane. The girl had not only accepted the curse, she had actually offered to keep it a secret, and to top it all off was still ready to spar with him as if nothing had happened! Something was going on here that Ranma didn´t understand, and he noted bitterly that this was happening far too often in relation to the Akane girl. She didn´t seem likely to use his weaknesses against him either, and seemed to act a lot, in fact, like Ucch- No, Kuonji- used to when he and Ranma had been together. Ranma remembered little of that, except that he had rarely been allowed to talk to anyone without his father´s permission or to eat okonomyaki at all since they had left Uc- Kuonji behind. Could there be a connection between them, something that his father had been keeping from him? And if so, what was it? And why?  
  
Ranma, feeling no better about himself than before, finished his practice and quickly hid the rectangular case inside his gi before heading back to the clinic. The events of the day prevented him from reaching the calm stage he needed to continue. Akane might be a mystery, but Ranma had time and skill enough to crack any obstacle. Especially one that was willing to help. Understanding her would not take too long now, and it might be quite entertaining, considering how easy it was to taunt her.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Well, This chapter´s done. I hope it isn´t too bad. And please don´t complain about the characters being OOC. (This comment being aimed at everyone besides my prereaders, they can say whatever they want ;-). People have been complaining that the skill levels of the characters are out of whack, well, this is how I see it! This is only the beginning of the series, after all. Akane is slightly below what the canon Ranma was in the beginning, while this Ranma is slightly above, and has no qualms about hurting people badly. You do the math on that one. And you know the drill, say all you want (except where noted above) ´cause the truth shall indeed set us all free, or something like that. Thank you, and good night.  
  
P.S. In case you´re wondering, the god that´s doing this is NOT based on me or meant to be me. I´m a lot more chaotic than that, and I have a better dress sense too. Aw, hell, you know what I mean, right? ^_^; 


	5. The curse of a master

Hello everyone, Been a while, ain't it? The full explanation will come as an author's note at the end, so don't go bombarding me for not updating, please. PLEASE! Anyway, this is the fourth chapter (as it is) so enjoy, and please review (or drop me a line via E-Mail) to tell me wether I should continue. Also, I plan on setting up a webpage soon. If you have anything you wish to give me relating to this story, you may do so. You will be credited, don't worry!  
  
  
  
Slightly disturbed productions present  
  
A Ranma 1/2 FanFiction by WhiteIckyThing(Patent pending)  
  
With special thanks to:  
  
Nementh  
  
Sonic  
  
And, of course, Metroanime.  
  
May the muse be forever bountiful for them.  
  
Very special thanks to my dad  
  
And to Rumiko Takahashi.  
  
Both have inspired and encouraged me.  
  
  
  
1 The Masters of the Art  
  
  
  
1.1 Part 4: The Curse of a Master  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I have made no money and will not make money from this piece of fiction, and it´s not really mine either, only the storyline that I make up can be called my property. So buzz off, lawyers!  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Control...  
  
Power Overwhelming... Cannot... Must...  
  
Maintain... STaBiLiTy...  
  
The newly made god was having some occupational difficulty. The surge of power he got from his current project was overwhelming him with it's intensity, and not for the first time it considered wether it would have been a good idea to learn how to control what he had before doing this.  
  
But nooo, the temptation had been too great to resist. The power source he habitually used, various kinds of soda, had been insufficient. So the godling had turned to the old Source...  
  
Belief...  
  
What's more, he had done so even if Kami-sama didn't approve of it. Not that it wasn't allowed, but rather that it was generally frowned upon as being too much of a mess to work with in general.  
  
He/She/It (a celestial word that translates into those three) had already been powerful, considering that He/She/It was a mere place on the mortal plane to begin with. And His/Hers/Its belief source had not been quite as large as Marylin Monroe had become, and a bit above Godzilla and King Kong. Those sources of belief had been snapped up by the old pantheons anyway: King Kong belonged now to the old Japanese gods, as did Marylin, while Godzilla, to the great displeasure of the Japanese pantheon, had gone to the Chinese. But He/She/It had persevered on it's own. And soon, the old gods would see the rise of a new god. A god of power. And then, only then, would the pointless powerstruggles in the Heavens and Hells end.  
  
Soon enough, He/She/It would be more powerful than the other gods could possibly imagine excepting only, with due respect, The Big Grand Holy One himself, or rather HERself. And then He/She/It would show them all.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
With a yell, a girl wearing a boy's school uniform punched at a boy wearing a dark-gray and sleeveless gi. The boy, pigtail bouncing furiously on the back of his head, blocked the punch easily with a flick of his hand and quick as lightning swept his leg at his opponent's feet.  
  
The longhaired girl responded by taking to the air, and as she landed behind the pigtailed boy, she went on the offensive, mixing a quick kick with a punch before flipping away and assuming a defensive stance. The boy backed slightly away, more to ascertain his tactical superiority than actually fleeing, went into an offensive stance to match the defensive one, and launched an attack.  
  
Too late, he saw the girl whip a pistol from her shirt. It looked like a cheap 10mm glock, but that didn't make it any less effective.  
  
His eyes didn't widen, even with the impending doom looming before him. Everything seemed to go into slow motion in his mind, the girl taking aim, his punch coming closer to her face, a slight tightening of a finger on the trigger, the two opponents staring into each other eyes, defiance radiating from both...  
  
*SQUIRT*  
  
A small jet of water went from the pistol and splashed into his face, causing an astonishing transformation to take place.  
  
His hips widened slightly, his waist slimmed considerably and his chest puffed out to reveal a very ample bosom. His hair turned from black into a bright shade of red, and his entire bodymass shifted into a smaller form than was usual.  
  
In fact, the appropriate pronoun to use at this point should be considered "She" rather than "He".  
  
As she had been in the middle of an attack, the boy turned girl overbalanced slightly, which the other girl took advantage of by grabbing the redhead's outstretched arm and throwing her into a nearby wall, causing it to crack.  
  
As the newly turned girl slid down the wall, she reflected on the fact that Akane was quite a worthy opponent, considering that she always found some way through her defenses. Then another thing came to mind, and she decided to verbally express it.  
  
"Damn."  
  
Akane giggled as she heard that coming from Ranma. She had never seen Ranma lose her composure even once after finding the girl ripping apart a tree near the school, and the things she sometimes said were just a bit funny. Ranma breaks a wall by flying into it from a throw, and that's all she has to say?  
  
The two fighters had been sparring under a bridge by the canal, a handy and secluded spot good for sparring, doing katas and to think a little that Ranma had discovered earlier. So far, no one had discovered them and they intended to keep it that way. By the way the supports were groaning, however, they'd have to lighten up on the more devastating attacks.  
  
Ranma got up, and looked at Akane with an unreadable expression for a moment.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
Akane stopped giggling, and went on to straighten her clothes a bit. She didn't lose her amused smile, though.  
  
"Ah, nothing, really. You just seemed a bit disappointed by the fact that I beat you."  
  
Ranma recognized this as a typical thing coming from her. Her ego was a bit big sometimes, especially if she won, but this last trick she had pulled was just plain dirty.  
  
"I meant to ask you about that... Why a water pistol?"  
  
"Well, it IS anything goes, Ranma. No holds barred!"  
  
She was still smiling, and seemed a bit too cheerful to Ranma. She couldn't be happy about resorting to tricks to win, could she? That didn't make sense! Ranma responded to the other girl with a teasing voice.  
  
"Yeah, right. You couldn't beat me otherwise, and you know it!"  
  
Again, she watched her reaction, and once again it was different from what she had been expecting. Instead of getting angry, or even acknowledging the fact that Ranma was better than Akane, which to Ranma was a given, she simply smiled at him again and put her hair behind her ear.  
  
"Don't be a sore loser, Ranma. Let's spar some more tomorrow and see who is the better martial artist then, okay?"  
  
Ranma didn't even get a chance to answer as Akane looked at her watch, emitted a small scream and ran towards her home, saying something about not wanting to miss dinner. Ranma was slightly amused by her antics, and didn't notice the small grin on her face. Then she got serious again as she thought of the past three days.  
  
First of all, Ranma hadn't come any bit closer to gaining any understanding of her opponent. Second, Akane didn't respond to teasing with anger, as she should, but seemed to become friendlier as a result instead. Third, Ranma had found that he had to restrain himself from complimenting her tactical thinking. Akane was not as skilled as he was, but she never lost, or at least never acknowledged losing. She would always get up and continue until she was too exhausted too continue or won, using an array of tools, tactics and trickery to do it when she was outclassed. Ranma had, on the previous day, had to fake losing so that Akane would go home on time and not arouse suspicion. That stung the cursed girl's pride a bit, but it had been necessary.  
  
And fourth, Ranma thought with some trepidation, she had come to the conclusion that Akane genuinely wanted to be her friend. And Ranma didn't know what to do about that because, she feared, she might actually like Akane. And after what happened with Kuonji, Ranma wasn't sure how to deal with that. But sparring with Akane was interesting, and the girl was good, no doubt about that.  
  
The emotionless face of the girl didn't budge an inch while she thought, but at that last thought, a small gleam of light, as if breaking through a cover of clouds, could be registered in her eyes before going, leaving the blue still as cold as ever before.  
  
She looked at her shadow, and saw by the position of the sun and the length of the shadow she cast that Akane had been right earlier. It was indeed time for dinner. She jumped up on to the bridge to find some hot water before going back to the clinic to cook for herself and her father. Genma still wasn't lenient about the curse, and Ranma didn't want to push him after the old man's reaction at Jusenkyo. Now THAT had hurt.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Nabiki was not a happy person.  
  
She sat angrily on her bed, still wearing a gi from her practise session earlier (dummy beating) and was pondering her current situation.  
  
Three days was the time it had taken. Kuno's announcement that Ranma and Akane were engaged had, even if it wasn't true, taken three whole days to settle, and it would take longer until everyone was convinced it wasn't true.  
  
Nabiki got off her bed, and decided to stretch a little before taking a bath before dinner. It might help her to think clearly.  
  
Even as Nabiki got up she thought wrily that Kuno was, of course, not included with everyone else. Nabiki thought that he might never understand that the engagement existed only in his mind. Strange that a boy who so much wanted to be with her little sister kept making everything more difficult for himself. The guy must be a masochist or something.  
  
However, no matter how interesting it was to speculate about Kuno's madness, that still left out the problem of Ranma Saotome. He would have to be dealt with, and preferably soon. Nabiki's betting pool still hadn't dried up, everyone still fought for Akane's hand, but now the bets were also being placed on Ranma, who found that he had plenty of people to beat up and did so with ruthless efficiency. He had been a target since everyone thought that he was engaged to Akane, and the Hentai Horde thought to defeat him to make him renounce his claim on her. It was speculated that some of the guys would never lose the limps they had acquired from him. And to Nabiki, that was proof enough that he would seriously harm her family if he got the chance.  
  
She went off to the bathroom, and decided that she would simply have to wait for an opportunity to present itself. Pre-emptive strikes like the one Kuno did were obviously ineffective. Something subtler would have to be done, and it should not be traceable to her. That would be a disaster.  
  
  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Genma Saotome sat down, in his human form, by his futon in the empty room of the clinic, and pondered the foolish Tendo as he waited for Ranma to bring him dinner, be it through cooking, foraging, which was a nice word for stealing, or hunting. The man had lost his edge, that much was clear. The intrusion methods he had used to spy on the family were not the best that they had learned from the old master, and yet Soun had not detected his presence. Even if Ranma hadn't been distracting the youngest girl, he would have gone unnoticed. Tendo was easy prey indeed.  
  
Soon, the challenge would be fought again, and this time it would be seen through to the end.  
  
As Ranma, in his male form, entered the room carrying a packet of noodles and some rice in a bag, Genma decided that it would have to be before the beginning of the next week. The sooner Tendo was beaten, the sooner Genma could claim mastery of the school.  
  
  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
A young man, wearing a cloak tightly around himself, slowly walked towards Tokyo, even as he thought he was heading towards Osaka, considering that that's where the farmer had pointed him last. That had been about a week ago, but the man saw nothing peculiar about that. It was amazing how much the simple folk of the countryside knew about the lay of the land, after all.  
  
He was in what he thought was a desert, though it could just as well have been a beach, considering the person in question. It was the eternally lost boy, Ryoga Hibiki, and he wanted nothing more than revenge.  
  
Well, perhaps beside a steady supply of easily accessible hot water in case of emergencies. After Jusenkyo, that was pretty high on his list of wants, right up there with Ranma Saotome's head on a platter and a cure for his curse.  
  
The lost boy became even more lost, as he wandered the landscape of his memories, remembering his fateful visit to the accursed valley of springs in China that the thrice-damned Saotomes had led him to.  
  
He remembered, oddly enough, the incredibly beautiful weather of the day in question, and how he had actually enjoyed wandering in the sun. Perhaps it was some twist of fate, to allow him one last chance at comfort and happiness before his life plunged into the hell it had become.  
  
  
  
The sun was shining, and a cool breeze played around him even as he walked onwards to his destination. He had heard from an old woman in a village... Somewhere, that the Saotomes had been planning to visit a training ground known as Jusenkyo. Since that day, he had wandered with little rest, his determination keeping him going past the point of exhaustion. He was going to find Ranma, he was going to kill him and then he could finally go back home.  
  
He suddenly found himself at the top of a cliff, and he looked down to see hundreds of springs, a slight fog around them even in this weather, some of which had bamboo poles sticking out of them. He had heard a description of this place, and he knew that he was at his destination after a mere four days of wandering.  
  
He was overjoyed, and leaned forward to look down into the valley below him.  
  
"I'm here! I can't believe I found this place so quickly!"  
  
Then the youth again became serious, and glanced darkly ahead of him.  
  
"Ranma Saotome, at last I shall have my revenge."  
  
As he looked around for a way to get down without getting lost, he heard a feminine cry of intense pain across the valley. He looked in the direction of the sound and gasped in astonishment and horror.  
  
There, near a hut of some kind, a large panda was brutally beating a girl with red hair senseless, not stopping or relenting even for a moment. In the outrage he felt, he didn't notice the stance the panda was using, or he might have wondered who would teach a panda martial arts.  
  
Neither did he notice how precariously close he came to the edge, trying to see better. He did notice the way it gave out from under him and the fall downward into one of the many springs below.  
  
  
  
Ryoga grimly recalled the horror he had felt as he realized that his arms were becoming shorter and shorter, the sense of disorientation as he stood up on all fours, the change of perspective as he seemed to look upwards towards everything all of a sudden and the way he had become smaller than his own backpack.  
  
He had discovered how to change back about a day later when a girl, who he later learned was the local guide's daughter, had found him trying to get out of a closet in her room and decided to wash him up a bit. It had come as a bit of a shock to both of them, but she had simply laughed, after hitting him over the head with a bucket.  
  
He had stayed there for a day, asking the guide for directions and news of the Saotomes. Apparently they had gone to a nearby village, and departed from there to Japan. Whenever Ryoga asked about the village, the guide would go quiet, and a faint look of remembered horror passed his face. The guide did not want to talk, and Ryoga did not push him. The lost boy knew what it was like to live with horror now. He did gather, however, that the Saotomes had done something heinous.  
  
It was not the first time Ryoga had heard of their brutality. Often, while following in their steps as best he could, he would find a family with an injured husband and no way to get treatment for him, or a dojo which had been burnt to the ground, or a wrecked restaurant which would never open again. Wherever he went, he would hear terrible tales of Genma Saotome of the Anything-goes school, and his pupil, Ranma. And Ryoga, with each successive story, had come to not only hate but loathe the very thought of his long time enemy.  
  
He had departed for Japan, and had been led to the nearest port by the guide who seemed to want him to bring the terrible men to justice. And that was just what Ryoga had in mind.  
  
"RANMA SAOTOME, I WILL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!"  
  
And the eternally lost boy walked on, ignoring the beach ball that bounced off his head, the stares of people in swimsuits, the laughs of children and the startled look of an ice cream salesman as he continued through what he believed could only be a desert.  
  
  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
The very next day, Ranma Saotome walked, alone with his thoughts and the frightened stares of his fellow students, and thought of the upcoming match that his father had decided upon. He and Akane had two days to prepare for the match and Ranma still had not managed to weed out his weakness. In fact, he had only discovered that Akane had far too many strengths for him to even begin to counter properly. She was inventive, quick of mind, deviously underhanded when needed and almost completely unpredictable. He could still win, but he didn't want that yet. He had to discover how to rid himself of his weakness first, once and for all. And to do that, he'd just have to study her further.  
  
He ignored the small part of his mind that said, "And she's a pretty damn interesting study to boot." He had no time to indulge himself with anything more than his current task.  
  
  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
A young fellow, clad in a yellow and slightly travel-stained tunic and with a yellow bandanna speckled with black rectangles tied around his head, walked as if on the point of exhaustion towards the gates. He looked at the students leaving the school, and swiftly grabbed a sandy-haired boy and held him out in front of him.  
  
"Where is Furinkan high school?"  
  
The boy in his grasp went from slight panic to confusion to incredulity in a second. Then he pointed at a sign by the gates to the school.  
  
Ryoga let go of the boy and read the sign slowly, then turned again to the boy, picking him up again.  
  
"At last! Now, where is Ranma Saotome?"  
  
  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
  
  
Ranma suddenly had the sense of imminent danger, and immediately dropped his line of thought and went into purely instinctive reaction. He jumped away from what seemed to be either a very strong person pounding an umbrella into the concrete or an angered cruise missile, and stood clear of the resulting shower of dust. He went into a highly defensive stance and waited for the dust to settle so that he would see who or what had attacked him.  
  
The students looked intently into the dust along with Ranma, anxious to see what had made Ranma so cautious. If it was something that Ranma couldn't beat, who knew what would happen?  
  
To Ranma, the world seemed to slow down as the dust swirled in a slight breeze, and his mind took in details that normally would have gone unnoticed. He saw Akane out of the corner of his eye, assuming a stance of her own in case of trouble, he noticed the slowly appearing of a boy of his age, he saw a sandy-haired guy looking rather disheveled just outside the gates, the bandanna around a head of black hair...  
  
A boy, wielding an umbrella and wearing a yellow tunic, knelt in the middle of a sizeable crater, which centered on the umbrella, thus confirming it as a weapon. The silence in the schoolyard was so complete that a needle dropped on the concrete would have been heard by everyone.  
  
The boy looked up, a feral smile on his lips, showing off his rather fang- like teeth, and looked at Ranma with absolute hatred.  
  
"Now you will die, Ranma Saotome!"  
  
  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
A/N: Nothing quite like a cliffhanger, right? Just don't kill me for being nasty, ok?  
  
Philodox: No, I wouldn't mind someone using this Ranma for a crossover, now that you mention it. I'd have to be a prereader of sorts, though! (  
  
I am pleased that many of you like Nachos. Sour cream, salsa, Jalapënos and all that is just to good to be true. But not cheese salsa. Cheese salsa is eeeeeevil. (  
  
Anyway, I´ve been on a quest recently. I, alongside my schoolwork, Roleplaying duties (I gamemaster for two groups), modelling, a little light reading (Sherlock Holmes, Neil Gaiman...) and various other hobbies, have been scouring the net for the Ultimate Ranma Fanfic.  
  
I know, you're laughing at my foolishness already. Well, what if I told you that I got pretty close to actually finding it?  
  
Yes indeedy, I found a masterpiece which seems to have been tragically overlooked by a lot of people. It is known, originally enough, as Ranma And Akane: A Love Story, and it's the best fanfic I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Yes, I lie not to thee, my faithful ones. This fanfic is by Shadow Lurker, and can be found on ff.net and here: http://www.kawaiikunee.com/slp/index-slp.html. I recommend downloading the requisite Mp3 files and listening to them at the appropriate points in the story. Do read and review this fic on ff.net, or drop this most brilliant author a line or two.  
  
Oh, and one more thing: If you want me to email when I update, please leave me a message as well as an address, and I will see to it that you won't miss a chapter. 


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